HomeMy WebLinkAboutresolution.council.055-01 R~SOLUTION NO.
Series of 2001
WHEREAS, sweetpeas have played a significant role in the lives of many Aspenites. For example, on a
bright, sunny day in Aspen, Colorado, during that period in history between the mining years and the skiing
years, a proud husband presented his lovely wife with a bouquet of multi-colored "sweet peas" in honor of
the birth of their son, Jim Markalunas, who would grow up to be a City Council member, and
WHEREAS, a warm breeze blew on the first day of school at the one room school house as young Jim
Marka~unas initiated ~s sch~ career by gifting t~ his b~ue-eyed teacher a bunch ~f sweet peas. He
informed her that the sweetpea flowers all summer until frost and that regular cuttings of the flowem for
display indoors encourages more flowers to develop later. The beautiful unmarried teacher responded by
noting that the scientific name for sweetpeas is Lathyrus odoratus and that they grow and flower
exceptionally well in our region and provide much summer culour and fragrance both in the garden as well
as in the house. Young Jim knew that he had much to learn, and
WHEREAS, on his first date fourteen year old Jim took his lovely neighbor Ramona to the Isis Theatre to
see the romantic Casablanca, which had finally made its way to Aspen, and on the way home he picked her
a dozen sweetpeas, explaining to her that their tree country of origin is not known, but that sweetpeas
were being cultivated by the Moors around 1450 and that the first seeds produced small purple and blue
flowers with an exceptionally strong fragrance. Ramona responded that in 1800 only five colours were
available, but that by 1900 two hundred and sixty-four varieties were being exhibited. James knew that he
had met his soul mate, and
WHEREAS, on Jim's wedding day five short years later, the church was filled not with roses or tulips but
with dozens of bouquets of Aspen's sweetpeas, which filled the chapel with a wonderful fragrance and a
sense of mountain romance, and
WHEREAS, sweetpeas signify "I think of thee" and "thank you for a lovely time," which are the
sentiments that the City wants between its residents and visitors, and
WHEREAS, some of the facts cited above may not be entirely tree, but there can be no doubt that sweet
peas are the most historically significant flower in Aspents history.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY TIlE ASPEN CITY COUNCIL, TIlAT:
In honor of Jim and Ramona Markalunas' service to the City of Aspen as dedicated council members and
devoted fans of the sweetpea and in recognition of the City's most significant historic flower, the sweet
pea is hereby adopted as the "official flower" of the City of Aspen, Colorado.
Dated: May 14th, 2001
~rds, Mayor
I, Kathryn S. Koch, duly appointed and acting City Clerk do certify that the foregoing is a true and adcurate
copy of that resolution adopted by the City Council of the City of Aspen, Colorado, at a meeting held
May 14th, 2001.
~Kathryn S.