Trees were first planted on the Purdue University Campus soon after its founding
in 1869. In the early 1900’s, Horticulture Park was established on the west side
of campus under the direction of Purdue’s Department of Horticulture. Although Purdue’s
landscape has seen many improvements in recent years, and while many of its larger
trees are well documented, its plant collections are just now being developed as
a formal arboretum. Purdue’s location on the rich, glacial soils near the banks
of the Wabash River within Northern Indiana’s hardwoods forest region provides a
unique setting to promote the unique cultural heritage and natural beauty of Indiana.