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In 1681, William Penn signed a "lease and release" agreement with Thomas Minshall, an English Quaker, for property in Pennsylvania that contained the site now occupied by the Arboretum. |
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| Between 1681 and 1944, the property was home to eight generations of the same
Minshall/Painter/Tyler
family. In 1944, Laura Tyler, a direct descendant of Thomas Minshall, bequeathed the property
to a board of Trustees that had been established to direct and oversee the land
as an arboretum.
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The Arboretum itself began as the private collection of two brothers, Jacob and Minshall Painter. The brothers were fascinated by the popular 19th century study of natural history. During their lifetimes, they managed to amass large collections of dried plants, rocks, and other
specimens. |
| In 1825, the brothers set aside some of their land to begin the systematic planting of more than 1,000 varieties of trees and shrubs. More than 20 of the original
Painter Trees
still survive, including the Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum),
a state champion and the majestic symbol of Tyler Arboretum.
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| Today, the informal gardens
and educational displays pay homage to the Arboretum's roots while staying
true to the organization's mission: "to preserve, develop and share our diverse horticultural, historical and natural site resources in order to stimulate an understanding of the living world." |
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