MOUNT PISGAH ARBORETUM

 Historical List of Accomplishments

Compiled by Theodore W. Palmer 2/6/1999. Revised periodically to 10/14/2011.

1965  UN Day            Barbara Newton is inspired by League of Women Voters national office

suggestion of an area of trees planted on UN Day to symbolize

international peace and friendship.

1967                            Eugene Mayor Ed Cone appoints Barbara Newton to Mayor’s Committee on

International Cooperation.

1969,  June                  Eugene City Council accepts the idea of an International Court of Trees after

Eugene Mayor Les Anderson backs it.

1969,  September 18   First meeting of an Ad Hoc Committee on an International Arboretum.

1969  to 1971              About thirteen sites seriously considered.

1971  July                    Governor Tom McCall is persuaded to preserve Mount Pisgah as a park.

1972  to 1973              Fran Kemler prepares  a Statement of Purpose, By Laws and Articles of

Incorporation which are all accepted.  259 West 23d Avenue becomes the                                                  legal address of the Arboretum

1973, January 3         Articles of Incorporation for International Arboretum Association signed.

1973  January 16         Election of first Officers.  Board of Directors to be chosen later.

1974, April 24             Arboretum joins the American Association and Botanic Gardens and Arboreta.

1974  May 27              Charter Members tour the site.

1974, August 21         Theodore rents a post office box for the Arboretum, maintained until 1997.

1975  February 26       George Jette presents his Dream Scheme master plan.

1975  Spring                John Phillips’ LCC forestry class makes a vegetative map.

1975  October 15       Thirty-year lease on 118-acre site signed.

1976  March                First and only Eugene Room Tax grant ($3,700) received.

1976  Spring                Andy March and Allison Halderman help George Jette lay out the Zig-Zag,

Plateau, and South Boundary trail loop.

1976  April-June         Kiwanis Club burns debris on site.

1976  June                   Arboretum begins to provide rented toilets on site.

1976  Summer             Two-year CETA grant begins, directed by Howard Buford.  Crews remove

decrepit buildings, build Howard’s Bridge, two other bridges, and the picnic

area, remodel the Visitor Center and begin Bufords’ trail.

1976  September         Howard Buford formally put in charge of the site.

1977  April 30            The first tree (a dawn redwood) planted.

1977  July                    $5,000 of an expected $40,000 Bureau of Outdoor Recreation grant received.

1978  February 5         Phone installed in the Visitor Center.

1978  June 15              Theodore takes over direction of the CETA crew due to Howard Buford’s

failing health.

1978  July                    Culvert installed by Bill Coslow et al. under main road.

1978  July 28               Name changed from International Arboretum Association to Mount Pisgah

Arboretum after 79% of members respond and vote 4 to 1 for change.

1978  September        The Arboretum hosts Western Regional Meeting of the American

                                                Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta.

1979  Fall                    Lane County Public Works hired as contractor to build the entrance road and

turn-around.

1979  Late Summer     Gerry Gibbs stabilizes Great Meadow Barn, then leaves.

1979  Early Fall           Tom LoCascio briefly works on CETA crew.

1980  March                Bridge for future Riverbank Trail built by Theodore.

1980  May 18             First Wild Flower Show.

1980  October             House at site assigned to Arboretum.  First occupied by volunteer Paul L.

Patterson, III; Later by Tom LoCascio until now.

1980  October 1         Rhoda Love, Ph. D. hired as first MPA regular employee.

1980  November         Donald R. Barker Foundation awards $10,000 grant.

1981  March                Theodore initiates regularly scheduled work parties.

1981  April 1              Tom LoCascio hired as first full time employee.

1981  August              Riverbank Trail completed.

1981  September         Bill and Barbara Bowerman donate $5,000+ in Nike stock

1982  Spring                Rhoda Love and Peggy Robinson develop a ten station

self-guiding nature trail.

1982  Spring                Eagle Scout project finishes Hillside Trail.

1982  Spring                Theodore discovers  Calypso bulbosa plants as he begins to build the

Incense Cedar Trail.

1982  May                  Formal nature education program for fifth graders begun.

1982  July                    Sunset magazine publishes first article on Mount Pisgah Arboretum featuring

high level of volunteer activities.

1982  Fall                    Bill Coslow installs an irrigation system in the entrance area.

1982  October 31       First Mushroom Show.

1982  November         Tom Gallagher draws first professional map of Arboretum.

1983  May 1                Bufords’ Trail dedicated.

1983  May 15              Patricia Baker dies after requesting a Wildflower Garden at the Arboretum in

her memory.  Generous contributions pour in totaling about  $15,000.

1983  June 5                Riverbank Trail dedicated to former Governor Tom McCall.

1983  June 11              96 foot Water Garden Bridge completed by Marine Corps Reserve working

with Bill Hallstrom and Nils Norman.   David Whitbread spearheaded the

whole project to honor his friend Vern Adkison who died in 1979.

1983  September         First Garage Sale

1983  September 11    Water Garden development dedicated.

1984  April 2               Small tractor named “Jack” purchased with funds from Ray and Lois Jackson.

1984  Summer             New Entrance Bridge built by Theodore.

1985, June                   Jeff Miller gives MPA a low mileage blue Ford pick-up truck, battered but still

in use in 2011.

1985  July                    Entrance kiosk designed and built by Theodore.

1986  May                  451 year old Douglas fir Tree Round exhibit completed. 

1986                            M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust gives money for permanent handicapped

accessible rest rooms

1987  January              Carved Redwood Entrance Sign installed as Memorial to A. R. Chilton.

1987 August               All utilities buried, including high voltage electric line to barn, financed by

1986 gift from Ray and Lois Jackson.

1987  Fall                    Bob Dickson builds sliding doors on barn.

1988  May                  Arboretum moves into newly built offices at Emerald Peoples Utility

                                                District.

1988  May                  First Institute of Museum Services Grant

1988  May 15             Handicapped accessible rest rooms completed.

1988  June                   Master Planning begun with intern Jane Henderson.

1988  July 1                 Lane County begins to pay for Arboretum services to HBRA.

1988  October             Parking lot put into partial service.

1988  November 19    First Annual Board Retreat.

1989                            Large bequest doubles Endowment to over $100,000.

1989                            Cameron and McCarthy chosen to begin formal Master Plan.

1990  May                   Parking Lots completely finished.

1991                            Meyer Memorial Trust funds completion of Master Plan and we hire the

Portico Group to work with Cameron and McCarthy.

1991 October 1           Fran Rosenthal hired as Education Coordinator

1992                            Intensive work on Master Plan.

1993  September        Four year Master Planning effort completed with publication of plan.

1993  September         Director search begins after Board raises three years of salary.

1994 January 26          Master Plan  presented at an open house.

1994, May                   Gretchen Duncan Bench completed near the top of the Zig-Zag Trail.

1994  July                    Alison Voss offered and accepts Directorship.  She begins work in September.

1994 September          Education program starts fall program to complement spring program.

1994 December 13      Concrete slab near Arboretum Entrance Creek removed.

1995 May                    Spring education Program begins afternoon sessions.

1995 October 19         First Theodore W. Palmer birthday work party builds bridge, etc.

1996 June 8/Aug 8      Tinker Bench and Scherer Bench installed

1996 June                    Theodore finishes clearing the Plateau of broom, blackberries,  etc.

1996  September 16   New 50 year lease for 209 acre area signed.

1996 November 18     Enormous flood washes away bridge and trails.

1996 December 16      First edition of Historical Atlas of MPA published.

1997, February 27       Elegant dinner at LCC to honor founders and charter members.

1997                            Bob Dickson builds stairs and loft in barn.

1997 May 3                 Water Garden small causeway replaced.

1997 October 19         Upper Plateau Trail Completed by Theodore’s birthday work party.

1997 November 8       Burtner Bench Trail Completed.

1998 April                   Rhoda Love offers first three-day Arboretum botany class.

1998 July 12                Barn wired and silo re-roofing completed.

1998 Fall                     Area under southern power-lines cleared by Theodore and Rob O’Connor.

1998 September 30     David Douglas Monument completed by Theodore.

1998 October              Theodore builds small entrance kiosk in a single day.

1999 January 1            MPA returns to volunteer management.

1999 March 28            North Boundary staked, area cleared.

1999 April 20              New much larger tractor purchased.

1999                            New wood engraved trail signs made by Tom Toyama were installed.

1999                            Lights installed in the barn primarily by Bob Dickson.

1999  June 5                Double bridges on Incense Cedar Trail replaced.

1999  August 26         Fire burns 123 acres Upper Bowl to summit of Mt. Pisgah.

2000 March                 Theodore clears the fire area of remaining blackberries, etc.

2000 April                   Barbara McElroy Port Orford cedar/western hemlock grove planted by Rich Kelly.

2000 June                    Dump bed on 3/4 ton pickup truck completed.

2000 July 15                Incense Cedar Causeway rebuilt by volunteers.

2000 August               Area above entrance road cleared of blackberries, etc.

2000  September         MPA told EPUD needs the office space occupied since 1986.

2000 October              Bench to honor Ray and Lois Jackson designed built and installed by Tom LoCascio.

2001 January 7            Tattersall bench completed by Theodore in Picnic Area.

2001 February             Arboretum decides to build an office on site.

2001 April 30              Arboretum buys used Gator from Lane County Parks

2001 Spring                 Wild Turkeys become established in Arboretum.

2001 Spring                 Gustavus the peacock dies after 15 years at the Arboretum.

2001 June 2                 Construction of New Office begun.

2002 April 7                First Arbor Day Plant Sale.

2002 March-May        First extended class on gardening with native plants given.

2002  May 31             Staff moves into new on-site office building.

2002 October 19         Theodore Trail (#17) completed by large work party.

2002 October 26         Walt Martin Bench completed by Theodore on Plateau.

2002 November 16     Lane County Parks names Theodore’s Trail going north out of the Arboretum.

2002 December           Area between entrance roads cleared of blackberries, etc. mainly by Rob O’Connor.

2003 Spring                 EWEB funds construction of the Dream Stream to teach erosion to grade

school students.

2003 Spring                 Undesirable plants removed from south end of Arboretum.

2003 July 7                 First summer camp begins at the Arboretum.

2003 July 21               Board votes to change its corporate name from “Friends of Mount Pisgah

                                    Arboretum” to “Mount Pisgah Arboretum.

2003 September 26     New Concrete floor poured in SW corner of Great Meadow Barn.

2003 November          One-lane wood Coast Fork Bridge replaced with new two-lane concrete bridge.

2003 November 19     Foundation finished for lean-to on Great Meadow Barn.

2004 April 14              Pete Barrell hired as first Arboretum General Manager.

2004 April 27              Fran Kemler’s Bench finished.

2004 May 3                 Pavilion Campaign launched publicly after Pat Harris Noyes gives $100,000.

2004 May 11               900 square foot lean-to on east side of Great Meadow Barn completed.

2004 May                    Rhoda Love and Family bench completed.

2004 Spring                 Hazardous Tree Workshops begin at the Arboretum.

2004 August 3                        Famed Russian Pianist Yuri Rozum gives hugely successful first Arboretum

concert at Beall Hall to raise funds for Patricia Baker Wildflower Garden.

2004 September 25     Theodore (with help) finishes surveying and marking the MPA boundary.

2004 Fall                     Renovation of Patricia Baker Wildflower Garden begins.

2004                            The upper bowl area largely cleared of unwanted vegetation.

2005 February 8          Quonset removed by BRING to make way for the White Oak Pavilion.

2005 May                    Three significant bequests are received in a short period.

2005 June 19              White Oak Pavilion completed and first wedding takes place there.

2005 June 28               Two year long repair of silo near the Great Meadow barn completed.

2005 July                     Entrance road and turn-around paved by Lane County Public Works.

2005 September 25     Elegant dinner in Pavilion for major donors.

2005 November 1       Bob Dickson Shop in Great Meadow Barn completed.

2005 December 16      Widening of Theodore Trail completed.

2005 December 19      Pete Barrell given title of Executive Director.

2006 January 11          Arboretum Archive Office completed in Theodore’s house.

2006 February 17        Maurice Phillips Bench completed.

2007 May 17               New well drilled in South Meadow.

2007 June 11               Grace Palmer Bench completed.

2007 July 19                Oregon Community Foundation notifies MPA of $275,000 Cecil R. and               Elaine. H Armes Memorial Fund for Mount Pisgah Arboretum.

2007 July 27                Arboretum buys a new 37 Hp tractor later named “Pomeroy”.

2007 September 16     First Gala Art Sale at the Arboretum.

2007 September 17     Ditches dug and filled for new water and septic systems.

2007 December 20      Existing restrooms converted to flush toilets.

2008 May                    New potable water system finally approved.

2008 August 1            Katura Reynolds hired as Office  Manager.

2008 September 1       Brad van Appel hired as Executive Director.

2009 May 16               Two restroom and utility buildings east of the Pavilion essentially completed.

2009  August              An inspection of the Adkison Bridge built in 1983 leads County Parks to request its

closure due to deterioration of one of its two 22,000 pound beams.

2010 January               Beginnng of comprehensive interpretation plan funded by Hallador Foundation.

2010  August              Bridges and Trails campaign begun to replace Adkison Bridge, repair other ridges

and build new trails

2010  October 1          Oldham Crane service removes the two old 2,000 pound, 96 foot long glu-lam

beams from the Adkison Bridge.

2010 December 31      Oak Savanna Trail completed except for grassy stretches needing tilling.

Rainee Tiske  hired as Office  Manager.

2011 October 24         Oak Savanna trail completely finished with work-site clean-up.