Timeline: Maud Hart Lovelace and the Betsy-Tacy Society

1892 Maud Hart is born to Thomas and Stella (Palmer) Hart on April 25, 1892, in Mankato, Minnesota.

1902 Thomas Hart privately publishes a collection of Maud’s poetry.

1910 Maud graduates from Mankato High School and enrolls at the University of Minnesota.

1911 Maud has her first sale of a short story, “Number Eight,” to the Los Angeles Times.

1917 Maud Hart and Delos Lovelace are married on November 29. (Delos was born in Brainerd,
Minnesota, and worked as a journalist for the Minneapolis Tribune.)

1926 Maud’s first novel, The Black Angels, is published.

1931 Merian Hart Lovelace is born January 18. Maud continues to write adult novels. As Merian
grows older, Maud tells her daughter stories about her own childhood in Mankato. These
stories would later become the Betsy-Tacy books.

1940 Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace is published by Thomas Y. Crowell Company. From 1940
to 1955, Maud wrote nine more Betsy-Tacy books and three companion Deep Valley books.

1961 The Mankato Branch of the American Association of University Women sponsors a “Betsy-
Tacy Day” celebration, and Rex Hill, the mayor of Mankato, proclaims October 7 “Betsy-Tacy
Day.”

1967 Delos Lovelace passes away on January 17.

1977 The Mankato Free Press successfully champions for a Maud Hart Lovelace wing for the new
Minnesota Valley Regional Library; Maud’s daughter, Merian Kirchner, attends the dedication.

1979 The Mankato Friends of the Library Association establishes the Maud Hart Lovelace Book
Award for children’s books. Nominees are chosen in two categories: grades 3–5 and grades 6–8.
Children who read at least three books in the relevant category cast a vote for their favorite.
The winner is announced on April 25, Maud’s birthday.

1980 Artist Marian Anderson is commissioned to paint a portrait of Maud and a mural for the Lovelace
wing of the library; an unveiling ceremony is held on March 9. Maud Hart Lovelace dies on March 11,
in California; her ashes are buried in Glenwood Cemetery in Mankato, Minnesota.

1989 Shirley Lieske and the Greater Mankato Area Camp Fire begin the project to install a bench at
the foot of Center Street as a memorial to Maud. The stone bench and plaque are dedicated on
April 30.

1990 The Betsy-Tacy Society is established to encourage the re-publication of the Betsy-Tacy books,
to preserve and protect the homes and landmarks depicted in the books, and to promote awareness
of Maud Hart Lovelace and her work. An initial one-page newsletter is sent to BTS members.

1992 Victoria magazine includes the upcoming Betsy-Tacy Convention in its “Events” column,
prompting a dramatic rise in membership. The first Betsy-Tacy Society Convention is held in
Mankato to celebrate Maud Hart Lovelace’s 100th birthday. Merian Lovelace Kirchner is the guest
of honor, and noted Minnesota author Patricia Hampl is the keynote speaker.

1993 HarperCollins reissues the first four titles in the Betsy-Tacy series, due to the campaigning of the
Betsy-Tacy Society. Soon after, the six high school books in the series are reissued.

1993–1999 Patty Warhol and Marney Wilde produce The Betsy-Tacy Society Note Book, a quarterly 30- to 40-page
journal for BTS members.

1995 The Betsy-Tacy Society purchases Tacy’s house at 332 Center Street (the real-life home of Frances
“Bick” Kenney), and restoration begins. The house was built in 1881. The second Betsy-Tacy Society
Convention is held in Mankato, with Dr. Louisa Smith, Professor of English at Mankato State
University, as the keynote speaker.

1997 The third Betsy-Tacy Society Convention is held in Mankato, with Elizabeth Riley (Maud’s editor of the
Betsy-Tacy series) as the keynote speaker. Merian Lovelace Kirchner dies on September 25.

2000 HarperCollins reissues the entire Betsy-Tacy series, including the three companion Deep Valley books:
Emily of Deep Valley, Carney’s House Party, and Winona’s Pony Cart.

2001 The Betsy-Tacy Society purchases Maud’s childhood home on Center Street, saving it from possible
demolition. The house was built in 1892.

2002 The fourth Betsy-Tacy Society Convention is held in Mankato, with Peggy Kirch, “Tacy’s” granddaughter,
as the keynote speaker.

2004 Betsy-Tacy Society membership grows to over 1,500, with members throughout the U.S., Canada, Japan,
France, Netherlands, Australia, Germany, and England.

2005 The BTS appoints Julie Schrader Executive Director and Newsletter Editor. The first issue of the Deep
Valley Sun, the new BTS newsletter, is printed.

2005–2009 Hometime, a syndicated home improvement show on PBS, films a total of five episodes at Betsy’s House,
Maud Hart Lovelace’s childhood home.

2007 A Maud Hart Lovelace historic plaque is dedicated at Betsy’s House on September 29.

2008 Betsy’s House and Tacy’s House signs, designed and crafted by David and Nancy Allan, are installed at
the Houses. The first engraved pavers from the paver fundraiser are laid in the walkway outside Betsy’s
House in June.

2009 The Betsy-Tacy Society celebrates burning the mortgage for the Betsy-Tacy Houses. HarperCollins
reissues the Betsy-Tacy high school books, two novels in one volume with original Vera Neville cover
artwork. A volunteer-coordinated Convention is held in Mankato on July 18–21, with author Meg Cabot
as keynote speaker. The Society receives the “Bring It Home” award from the Mankato Area Convention
and Visitors Bureau.

2010 The Betsy-Tacy Houses are designated National Landmarks by the Association of Library Trustees,
Advocates, Friends, and Foundations, and a dedication ceremony is held on May 20. HarperCollins
reissues the three Deep Valley books in two volumes with original cover artwork.

2011 HarperCollins releases a paperback Betsy-Tacy Treasury, containing the first four Betsy-Tacy books in one
volume.

2012 The Betsy-Tacy Society bylaws are amended and approved. A volunteer-coordinated Convention is held
in Minneapolis and Mankato, July 19–22. Original artworks of Lois Lenski and Vera Neville, illustrators for
Maud’s Deep Valley books, are gifted to the BTS by the estate of Merian Kirchner, daughter of Maud Hart
Lovelace and Delos Lovelace. The BTS also receives Hart and Lovelace family artifacts, now on display in
the Interpretive Center at Tacy’s House.

2013 The BTS receives a grant from the City of Mankato for the restoration of the second floor at Betsy’s House.
The first e-newsletter is created for BTS members. An Endowment Fund for the BTS is established and
approved by the Board, with the goal of continuing to grow funding and interest income to meet the Society’s
ongoing financial responsibilities.

2014 The Deep Valley Homecoming is held June 28–July 2 in Mankato. Kasota stone hitching blocks are dedicated
at the Betsy and Tacy Houses on October 25.

2015 The second annual Deep Valley Homecoming is held June 26–30 in Mankato.

2016 The third annual Deep Valley Homecoming is held June 24–27 in Mankato.

2018 A volunteer-coordinated Betsy-Tacy Convention is held August 3–5 in Minneapolis.

2019 The Frances “Bick” Kenney House historic plaque is installed.

2020 During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Houses close temporarily. The Agony Column, a new quarterly e-newsletter
designed to complement the Sun newsletter and to promote member engagement, is emailed to all BTS members.

2022 The Betsy and Tacy Houses reopen for tours in June!