The Fort Worth Orchid Society was organized on October 5th, 1971.. The FWOS meets the first Monday of each month, unless it is a holiday, at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden Center at 7:00 p.m. The Fort Worth Botanic Garden Center is two blocks north of Interstate Highway 30 on University Drive. Enter at the second entrance to the FWBG by the Floral Clock. The meetings consist of an educational program, a show and tell table, orchids for sale, refreshments and an opportunity for visitors and members to visit and discuss orchids and orchid problems. Visitors are welcome.
Under the leadership of Robert Halpin, the Fort Worth Orchid Society began in 1971. Other charter members included Donald Brooks, LaVerne Edwards, Carlos Kessell, Edith Mahoney, Jody Mastin, and Barbara Menzing. The first meeting was at Halpin's home. Robert Halpin was elected the first president. He also helped organize the Greater North Texas Orchid Society (Dallas) and the Cen-Tex Orchid Society (Waco). The FWOS soon out grew his home. They have met in many locations since, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Fort Worth National Bank, the Texas Boys' Choir building, the Classroom Teachers Association building and now the Fort Worth Botanic Garden Center. The FWOS, which started with 31 charter members, now has over 200 members.
The Fort Worth Orchid Society became affiliated with the American Orchid Society and the Southwest Regional Growers Association in 1975. They have since affiliated with Orchid Digest Corporation and the Fort Worth Garden Club Council. They held their first orchid exhibition at a local bank. It was so well attended that the FWOS held its first AOS judged show the following year. In 1978, the FWOS teamed with the GNTOS for an orchid workshop at the University of Texas at Arlington. As a result of this workshop, the two societies donated $3,950.58 to the AOS Fund for Education and Research and $1,150.03 to the ODC for the Color Separation Fund. On Sunday, following the workshop, many workshop participants met at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden for a hard day of work on the orchid collection. The orchid collection was started by donations given to the FWBG by Ben Bird, a long time orchid grower. This collection was enhanced by donations from many SWROGA members. Charles Finance, a longtime member of the Houston Orchid Society and then FWOS, took charge of the FWBG orchid collection. The FWBG designated a portion of the exhibition greenhouse for the collection. Charles designed a natural habitat exhibit which included a waterfall and pond.
Unfortunately, this greenhouse burned down during a Fourth of July Concert in 1994. It was in the process of reconstruction when the May 5, 1995, hail storm hit. The insurance company made for rebuilding the greenhouse but did not provide money to replace the orchids. Dotty Woodson received donations from private individuals to rebuild the orchid collection. Dotty Woodson held workshops on 'Potting Orchids' for members of the FWOS and GNTOS. This will continue each time the orchids need repotting.
When visiting Fort Worth, contact the orchid growers through this web page for visits to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden and members' greenhouses.