Randy FoxSuperintendentNebraska CityN e b r a s k a 6 8 4 1 0Phone 402 -873 -3221

T H E M O R T O N SJulius Sterling Morton was born in Adams, N.Y., on April

22, 1832, the son of a village merchant. In the spring of1834, the family moved to Monroe, Mich., a few milessouth of Detroit, where Morton spent his childhood.

At 14, young Sterling's parents enrolled him in WesleyanSeminary in Albion, where he met and became engaged toCaroline Joy French, a "very beautiful and altogethercharming girl" of 14.

Born August 9, 1833, in Haliowell, Maine, Caroline wasraised by foster parents. Deacon David and Cynthia EldredFrench. For SteHing and Carrie, it was love at first sight. Inspite of the fast engagement, they remained faithful to oneanother for seven years, while they completed theireduca t i ons .

On October 30, 1854, the young couple were wed inDetroit and left the same day to seek their fortune in thelargely unsettled Nebraska Territory. Their first home was a

log cabin in Bellevue. in the spring of 1855, they moved toNebraska City, where Morton assumed editorial control ofthe "Nebraska City News."

The Mortons' first land holding was a 160-acre preemption, described as a treeless prairie with no sign of WhiteMan's settlement. Choosing the highest point on their land,they built a four-room, L-shaped, frame home, completewith front porch. In 1855, this was considered a mansionand reportedly was (he only frame house between theMissouri River and the Rocky Mountains.

Both Sterling and Carrie were nature lovers and were accustomed to being surrounded by trees and other greenery.So, it isn't surprising that soon after completing their homethey set to work adorning it with trees and shrubs, includingan apple orchard by 1858.

It was outside the house that Carrie's influence was firstfelt at Arbor Lodge. She designed the original drives, walks,and gardens; planted the first trees, and managed the family

As it stands today, Morton mansion was completed in 1903 hy son, Joy, who donated it to the state in 1923.

farm during Sterling's political travels.The home's interior equally reflects her influence. A gifted

artist and musician, she was responsible for many of thepaintings adorning the walls, some by noted artists as wellas many of her own. Many pieces of her hand-painted chinaare still displayed, The Waters cabinet grand piano was!hers, as well, and it has been said that "music of the best;and highest order always sounded throughout the home;under her skilkxl fingers." She died on June 29, 1881.

A journalist by profession, J. Sterling Morton used his pen|to spread his agricultural and tree-planting convictionsiacross the territory. Although his writings were informative!and promoted agricultural advancement, the most en-|thusiastic accounts were those praising tree planting. Mor-,

ton frequently gave advice about trees best suited to Nebraska, based on his own experiments.

His active interest in tree planting gained recognition asearly as 1872, when as president of the State Board ofAgriculture, he introduced a resolution calling for a tree-planting day to be known as Arbor Day. In 1885, the Legislature made Arbor Day a legal holiday in Nebraska and setMorton's birthday, April 22, as the official date. The ideawas so popular that over one million trees were plantedthroughout the state on that first Arbor Day. Since that time,the observance has spread to nearly every state and to manyforeign countries.

Morton held many offices during his political career, themost important of which were two terms as Territorial Rep

resentative, Secretary and Acting Governor of the Territory(1858-61), and ultimately U.S. Secretary of Agricultureduring President Crover Cleveland's second administration( 1 8 9 3 - 9 6 ) .

On April 27, 1902, following a brief trip to Mexico in avain attempt to regain his health, J. Sterling Morton died atthe home of his son, Mark, in Lake Forest, 111. A special train,draped in mourning, brought his body back to NebraskaCity, where it lay in state for a short time in the PublicLibrary. Later that day, Morton was taken from Arbor Lodgeto Wyuka Cemetery, where he was buried beside Carolineand their youngest son, Carl.

A R B O R L O D G EA stately, 52-room, neo-colonial mansion. Arbor Lodge

was completed in 1903 by Joy Morton, oldest of the Mortons' four sons and founder of the Morton Salt Company.

Begun as a four-room, L-shaped, frame structure, ArborLodge was expanded from time to time, with four majoradditions. The first house was built in 1855. As the needarose, it was renovated and expanded. After Morton's death,in 1902, Joy inherited the home and made the last alterations. He enlarged it to its present 52 rooms, added theneo-colonial facade, and stuccoed the entire structure, joyalso built the Carriage House, west of the mansion, and theItalian terraced gaiden to the south, both of which wereadded in 1903.

Furnishings in the Lodge are largely in Victorian and Empire styles, much of which was owned by the Mortons. Included are many fine examples of Tiffany glassware, themost impressive being the ornate skylight in the sun parlor.Elegant, hand-carved woodwork and hardwood floors arefound throughout the mansion, as are many beautifulpaintings and wall decorations.

For 20 years, Joy and his family used the Lodge purely as asummer retreat. In 1923, he donated the house and groundsto the State of Nebraska to be preserved for future generations as a monument to his father. Today, Arbor Lodge isadministered by the Nebraska Came and Parks Commissionas a state historical park.

OTHER POINTS OF INTEREST

Carriage House — Built in 1903 for about $10,000, this structurehoused the Morton coaches, carriages, and carriage horses. On display are a Stanhope phaetor>, a Vail phaeton, a rockaway, a sidebarrunatx>ut, the traditional surroy, and a Brougham used by PresidentGrover Cleveland. The collection also includes an Overland stage,purchased by Carl Morton.

Kalian Terraced Garden — Part of Joy's 1903 addition, ihe gardenwas designed by a noted Boblon architect named Manning. Gentlycurving brick walks guide the visitor along both levels of the cool,shaded rose garden. Highlights include numerous flower and rosebeds, as well as a sundial and pergola.

Monument Square — Set in the east part of thf; park near the entrance is a bronze casting of the "author of Arbor Day", J. SterlingMorton, It was erected in 1905 and dedicated by President Cleveland. Standing in the foreground is a smaller bronze of the Greekgoddess Daphne, who according to legend was turned into a laureltree by her father to save her from the pursuit of Apollo.

Log Cabin — lust across the drive from Monument Square is a loghouse, built on October 22,1890, as a memorial to the old settlers ofthe community by J. Sterling Morton and other membt>rs of the OldSettlers Association. It is typical of the early homes uH'd by territorialset t lers .

Pine Grove — Originally planted by Morton in 1891 to prove toGovernor Furnas that white pines would, indeed, grow in Nebraska,the stand was replanted in t937 after the great drouth. The densecarpet of needles and cool shade make it a favorite area with visitors.

Tree Trail — A one-half mile tree trail winds through the originalarboretum area planted by the Mortons. The wood-chipped path,cool shaded benches, and InlxHed trees offer visitors both a pleasantand interesting experience. The arboretum, which encompasses theentire 6.S acres of the park, features over 250 varieties of trees ands h r u b s .

Family Plot — (Wyuka Cemetery) — Historic Wyuka Cemetery, siteof the Morton Family plot, is located at 19th Street and 6th Corso,about IVj miles southeast of the park entrance. The plot is easilyrecognized by its 20-foot, hand-hewn rock shaft, shaped like a treetrunk broken at the top.

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Arbor Lodge grew with the Morton family from four rooms (top left}, to modest family dwelling (bottom left),to spacious gingerbread structure (center), and to the elegant mansion in use at time of Morton's death in 1902.