Exploring the Arboretum
As you enter Section Horner, you’ll find yourself beneath a canopy of linden trees, including both American basswood (Tilia americana) and littleleaf linden (Tilia cordata). These trees are beloved by pollinators, especially bees, for their fragrant early summer flowers. In the conifer collection here, look for the ‘Karl Fuchs’ Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara - pictured here), noted for its improved cold hardiness and soft, blue-green needles.
Significant Figures
Map Reference: Stop 3,
Letter D
Irwin Russell
Author | Lot #515 – unmarked
Poet and writer Irwin Russell’s short life was filled with writings published in Scribner’s Magazine and The Times-Democrat. Born in Port Gibson, Mississippi, he moved to St. Louis with his family for his education. Sadly, the brilliant promise of his young life was cut short when he died in December 1879 at the age of 26. In 1888, friends gathered and published his poems. In 1907, the Mississippi Teachers Association raised funds to have a sculptor create a marble bust of Russell. It was placed in the State Capitol in 1908.
Map Reference: Stop 3,
Letter E
Charles Smith Rogers
Steamboat Owner | Lot #934
Capt. Charles Rogers was one of the last steamboat captains on the Mississippi River as the Civil War broke out. Trusted and dependable, he was an asset to the Union as the war raged on. Capt. Rogers was one of the first captains back on the Mississippi as the Union gained control, working to keep river traffic safe.
