In secret, with the help of Grace Kirkwood, former Girl Scout, teacher and experienced landscape architect who drew of the plans, this authentic colonial-style herb garden was built and filled. This included a stone wall surrounding the garden, paved pathways and items related to maintaining the garden. It's recorded in newspapers that over 3,000 Girl Scouts contributed their time, energy and herb plant donations. Helen was thrilled when the garden was presented to her.

Sadly, in 1936 the area was devastated when flooded. An article in the Burlington Free Press on Oct. 2, 1936 marveled at the "high water 1936" plaques found on second-floor level on the outside of the Storrowton Village buildings. It's not recorded how the garden fared, but it was soon set to rights and continued on.

Girl Scouts continued to service the garden and volunteer to work in and around Storrowton Village, working as tour guides for this destination location, or serving tea & herbed crumpets to the visiting dignitaries. Girls were selected to volunteer and competition was high. Girls had to be long-standing Girl Scouts with good reputations, able to work in varied settings and maintain their uniforms. Usually 2 from each New England area (area was not defined - maybe "council" in modern terms?) and they had to be reliable.

There remains the story of the 1938 hurricane that hit Storrowton, as noted in the September 30, 1938 issue of the Burlington Free Press. The village, being as authentic as possible, did not have electricity in the buildings. Girl Scouts used candles to navigate at night during their stays. Knowing that a storm was brewing the Girl Scouts efficiently closed up all the windows and blinds. Early the following morning, before daylight, the handyman of the village sets off the fire alarms and runs through the village, telling all to "get out" in all haste, as the dam had burst. The writer of this story noted that the Girl Scouts were found in the village green with their leader, calmly taking directions to get all the overnight guest to safety.

Once everyone was moved to higher ground at the West Springfield YMCA, the Girl Scouts quickly began to register all the refugees who had arrived from the surrounding areas. The story ends well, the dam hadn't burst but it makes for interesting reading (see article - right).













BY 1941 Storrowton Village was closed to the public, as the military had been settled into the Eastern States Exposition grounds. There was a war on.

In 1944 Helen died, and it seems some of the Girl Scout Spirit left with her. It didn't reopen until 1947, when a newspaper noted that Mrs. Schuyler F. Herron had returned to Storrowton and was working to restore it.

In 1948 delegates to the 12th World Conference for Girl Scouts and Girl Guides were taken to Storrowton Village and most assuredly viewed the famed Aunt Helen's Herb Garden. Also in 1948, this garden was sending cuttings and seeds to garden clubs in other states to help with their herb gardens.