Arbor Day, an earthly day of observance, where individuals, and groups are influenced to plant trees. The holiday usually is set in spring, though the date can vary depending on the climate and suitable planting season. Funny enough, the holiday was actually created in Nebraska City, NE. 

     This holiday has been around for centuries, starting on April 10, 1872. It is estimated that around one million trees were planted on this day, and Julius Sterling Morton is the man that started it all. He was known to be “a zealous tree lover”. He said, “Other holidays repose upon the past; Arbor Day proposes for the future.” Julius was born in Adams, New York, in 1832. He married Caroline Joy French in Detroit, October 1852. After they married they headed west for Nebraska Territory. They settled on a treeless 160 acres of land. He had four sons, and a busy career, but that didn’t stop this man from planting thousands of trees. He also had planted an apple orchard, as well as peach, plum, and pear trees, but also cottonwoods, evergreens, beeches, etc. He gave speeches, and filled the newspapers with agricultural advice that urged Nebraskans to plant trees, and new crops. By 1885 Arbor Day was created as a legal holiday in Nebraska, and the date was changed to April 22nd to honor Morton’s Birthday. On that day many of Nebraska City citizens joined for one huge party, which included one thousand students forming a parade. Within twenty years of Arbor Day becoming a holiday, it was celebrated in every American state except for Delaware, who eventually joined in. 

     Morton’s family home, Arbor Lodge, is now a state park in Nebraska City. After many years, Arbor Lodge has grown from a four-room home into a fifty-two – room mansion that is completed with a terraced garden, a pine grove, and sixty-five acres of over two hundred-fifty varieties of shrubs, and trees. Julius Sterling Morton died at the age of seventy, on April 27,1902, a month later than when he wrote that he hoped to plant trees as soon as the weather turned warm. There is a statue of him that stands in the National Hall of Fame in Washington, D.C. I hope this article of the incredible Julius Sterling Morton has shined some light on how special Arbor Day is. Not only was Morton so passionate about agriculture, but he also dedicated the majority of his entire life to it. He helped Nebraskans see how important it was as well. So on Arbor Day, go outside, take a look at a tree, plant a tree, but most importantly ask yourself, what would life be like without them?