Morris Arboretum

Compton and Bloomfield

A bridge at the Morris Arboretum
Location 100 East Northwestern Avenue, Philadelphia and Whitemarsh Township, Pennsylvania
Coordinates 40°05′23″N 75°13′27″W / 40.08972°N 75.22417°W / 40.08972; -75.22417Coordinates: 40°05′23″N 75°13′27″W / 40.08972°N 75.22417°W / 40.08972; -75.22417
Area 175 acres (71 ha)
Built 1889
Architect Theophilus Parsons Chandler, Jr.; Wilson Eyre, Jr., et al.
Architectural style Classical Revival, Late Gothic Revival
NRHP Reference # 78002445 [1]
Added to NRHP December 22, 1978

The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania (37 ha / 92 acres) is the official arboretum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located at 100 East Northwestern Avenue, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The arboretum is open daily except major holidays; an admission fee is charged.

History

The arboretum was formerly the estate of John and Lydia Morris, who purchased and landscaped much of the arboretum's current site starting from the 1880s. Morris was interested in growing plants from around the world, including those collected in China by E. H. Wilson around 1900, and many of today's specimens date to Morris' original plantings. The estate became a public arboretum in 1933.[2]

Collection

Today the arboretum contains more than 13,000 labelled plants of over 2,500 types, representing the temperate floras of North America, Asia, and Europe, with a primary focus on Asia. Significant collections include native azaleas, conifers, hollies, magnolia species, maples, roses, and witch hazels. The arboretum has identified 17 trees in its collection as outstanding specimens: Abies cephalonica, Abies holophylla, Acer buergerianum, Aesculus flava, Cedrus libani var. atlantica 'Glauca', Cercidiphyllum japonicum, Fagus engleriana, Fagus sylvatica f. pendula, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Pinus bungeana, Platanus × acerifolia, Quercus alba, Quercus × benderi, Tsuga canadensis f. pendula, Ulmus glabra 'Horizontalis', Ulmus parvifolia, and Zelkova serrata.

Features

The arboretum is set within a fine, mature landscape, primarily designed in the English park style but with Japanese influences. It includes winding paths and streams, a swan pond, formal rose gardens, and large sweeps of azaleas, rhododendrons, and magnolias. Notable aspects of the arboretum are as follows:

"Compton" (Lydia & John Thompson Morris mansion), (1887-88, demolished 1968), by Theophilus Parsons Chandler, Jr., architect. The grounds are now the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania.

Morris Arboretum also owns Springfield Mill, which is located opposite the main entrance. The grist mill has been restored and is open to the public once a month for grinding demonstrations.

See also

References

  1. National Park Service (2007-01-23). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. "National Historic Landmarks & National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania" (Searchable database). CRGIS: Cultural Resources Geographic Information System. Note: This includes George E. Thomas (August 1978). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Compton and Bloomfield" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-05-24.
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