Our Roots
In the 1950's Morris and Helen added a small 16 x 16 foot greenhouse over the top of their patio as a place to experiment with hybrid tea roses, tropical and semi-tropical plants. The first greenhouse was not large enough to accommodate Morris' vision, so a second greenhouse was built two years later to house camellias, roses, fig tree, banana tree and a grapefruit tree. The extravagant beauty of this tropical paradise was hidden in the heart of Missoula. The greenhouse was an unconventional academic place where horticultural subjects were cultivated in my young inquisitive mind through Morris and Helen's creative tutelage.
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Some of my fondest memories of the Silvers was their love for the greenhouse and gardening. As a child, entering the greenhouse was like a magical paradise with the enticing fragrances of the tropical plants and the moisture in the dirt. My mother began working for Morris and Helen Silver when I was two, at Modern Plumbing and Building Supplies, commonly known as The Big Broadway Store. They were innovative pioneers in developing family-friendly employment.
Morris' and Helen's passion for sustaining growth was intrinsic to their daily life. Outside the greenhouse was a huge apple tree. One year lightning struck the tree and split it in two pieces. Morris purchased a huge bolt and bolted the tree back together. The tree still stands and produces succulent apples today.
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One of my most memorable times was when I was in the second grade, I went to the greenhouse and picked a huge, yellow grapefruit and took it to school for show and tell. The teacher said that I was lying when I told her that I had just picked the grapefruit from a tree that morning. So, Morris invited the class to the greenhouse to see the grapefruit tree.
The grapefruit tree has its own precocious beginning. The neighbors put a grapefruit seed in a cup with a little dirt to see if it would grow. Well it did, and when it outgrew their house, the Worden's gave the tree to Helen for their greenhouse. And even though it broke through the greenhouse glass ceiling many times, Morris continued to prune, water and fertilize the grapefruit tree; and kept the greenhouse heated. After Helen died in 1995, his passion for the greenhouse continued. He ate a fresh picked grapefruit every morning. The nutritional benefits are many, but for Morris it was to help his Parkinson's medication be more effective until his death in 1998.
The grapefruit tree has its own precocious beginning. The neighbors put a grapefruit seed in a cup with a little dirt to see if it would grow. Well it did, and when it outgrew their house, the Worden's gave the tree to Helen for their greenhouse. And even though it broke through the greenhouse glass ceiling many times, Morris continued to prune, water and fertilize the grapefruit tree; and kept the greenhouse heated. After Helen died in 1995, his passion for the greenhouse continued. He ate a fresh picked grapefruit every morning. The nutritional benefits are many, but for Morris it was to help his Parkinson's medication be more effective until his death in 1998.
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It is the passion of The Silver Foundation to continue the legacy of Morris and Helen Silver by sustaining growth and producing fruit in their community, reaching beyond the borders of their vision.
We hope this narrative helps you understand, the significance of the grapefruit tree to our founders and why we chose the grapefruit tree and greenhouse for our logo. Carolyn R. Maier, MPA Executive Director |