Originally published in 1888, Joy and Other Poems was Dandridge's first published collection and, at least a portion, of the poems were written at her home in Shepherdstown. Containing a wonderful mix of poetry with fanciful language, naturalistic settings, and wonderfully descriptive botanical observations, Joy and Other Poems is a dynamic example of the work of one of Shepherdstown's most successful writers.
Born in Denmark, to the American ambassador and his wife, Caroline "Danske" Dandridge lived a portion of her childhood in New York, then Shepherdstown, WV, and New York again. Returning to West Virginia after marrying, she wrote extensively, including poetry, gardening articles, and historical pieces. Her pride and joy remained her gardens at Rose Brake, her estate, which were designed and tended with the assistance of Tom and Charity Devonshire. She died in 1914, survived by only one of her three children.
