Once a cornfield on the edge of the campus, a 13.43-acre plot of land has been an integral part of Wilmington College for more than half a century. The peaceful, beautiful place to visit and working lab for students hosts some 250 wood plants, shrubs, and trees.

It was during the presidency of Sam Marble in 1958 when the idea of establishing an arboretum was originally proposed to the College’s Board of Trustees, but the death of longtime biology professor Frank O. Hazard (1905-63) in 1963 prompted James Read’s administration to jump full force into the project. It was determined the College arboretum would be a “living memorial” to Hazard, a 1927 WC graduate who was known as a “master teacher” during his 34 years on the science faculty from 1928 to 1962.