Abilene Christian University

Abilene Christian University's Arboretum consists of 150 acres of irrigated landscape atop a hill overlooking Abilene, Texas.  There are roughly 2500 trees on campus. In the early days, the appearance of campus was much like the surrounding plains.  Many of the large pecan, live oak, and sycamore trees that now shade campus were planted by beloved night watchman and landscaper Sheriff Jim Burgess.  He worked tirelessly from 1934 until 1960 to plant many trees, using innovative methods such as the use of dynamite to create holes in the hard pan prairie clay and caliche' soils.  With the help of students, he persevered through a severe drought in the 1950's to plant many of the larger shade trees that are now greatly appreciated during hot Texas days.  Formal landscape plantings from the 1970's and 1980's are being reverted to more native species of woody plants and pollinator gardens.   In recent years, the goal is for diversification in tree species and newly landscaped areas have brought about the introduction of Texas persimmon, Texas Mountain laurel, Texas cedar elm, and Purple leaf plum.