Arbor Day was founded on April 10, 1872 by J. Sterling Morton. He and his wife were among the first pioneers to Nebraska in 1854. As an editor of a newspaper, he was able to share his interest and appreciation of trees.
Fellow pioneers also missed having trees, but more importantly, trees were essential to serve as windbreaks to help keep soil in place and to provide building materials and fuel. Morton became Secretary of the Nebraska Territory, giving him an even wider audience to receive his message of the value of trees.
At a State Board of Agriculture meeting on January 4, 1872, Morton proposed a tree-planting holiday called “Arbor Day” to be held April 10, 1872.
It is estimated that over 1,000,000 trees were planted that day in Nebraska. Later Nebraska selected April 22, Morton’s birthday, to be a legal holiday-Arbor Day! Several presidents have declared the last Friday in April to observe Arbor Day, but some states choose a date more fitting to their agricultural zone.
Throughout the years, the Naperville Garden Club has purchased trees to be planted in the Naperville area. This year our Arbor Day funds were used to purchase a tree that is a part of the garden surrounding the “Spirit of the American Navy” sculpture in Burlington Square Park.
Our trees have been planted at the Nichols Library, the 95th Street Library and at local schools. An excerpt from our mission statement is, “…to enhance the environment in which we live by donating trees, plants and service….”
Please join us in this mission and plant a tree or two this year. If you don’t have room, it’s not hard to find a place that does.
“The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now.” —Chinese Proverb
