1966
Edna D. Baum
(1887–1968)
Edna Ducker had vivid memories of Macatawa Park on Lake Michigan, where the Duckers’ summer home and the Baums’ “The Sign of the Goose,” cottage were found.
She married L. Frank Baum’s second son, Robert Stanton Baum, and they settled in Claremont, California. They managed an orange ranch there, and reared their children, Robert Allison, Stanton, and Florence until they retired in the 1940s. Robert died in 1958.
Edna had the best-preserved of the family Oz and Baum collections. These original editions were presented by Baum to each of his four sons as the books were published. Edna lent extremely rare and unique items from her family collection for display at the first Winkie Convention. Until her death in 1968, she generously made the collection available to bibliographers and other Baum and Oz historians.
In 1965, Edna hosted the second Winkie Convention at her home. Her sister-in-law, Elizabeth Ligon Baum, served as co-host and Matilda Jewell Gage of Aberdeen, South Dakota, L. Frank Baum’s niece, was the guest of honor. The theme, in memory of the Baums’ lake house, was Father Goose His Book.
