History, Department of Horticultural Science
Introduction
As with many horticulture departments, growth was rather slow during
the years prior to World War II. In 1945, there were 8 faculty members;
now (2002), there are 52.
The North Carolina General Assembly enacted legislation to establish
the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts in 1887
and its doors were opened in 1889. The Department of Horticulture, Arboriculture,
and Botany was one of the 5 instructional departments established concurrently.
A division of horticulture was also formed by the North Carolina Department
of Agriculture in The Experiment Station. Professor Wilbur Fisk Massey
was elected chairman of both in November 1889.
The department was divided in 1901, when Biology was established, and
subsequently was referred to as the Department of Horticulture. Professor
Massey terminated his work with the College in 1903, but remained as
professor of horticulture with the Experiment Station until 1905.
Horticulture at the College has retained departmental status since
its origin, but the horticultural programs were divided between the
Division of Horticulture in the North Carolina Department of Agriculture
and the College. In 1924, all research, extension, and instruction was
transferred to the College. In addition, the Extension Service was administered
separately until 1961 when the 3 functions were incorporated into the
department.
Departmental Reports / Overviews
Important Events (also, see NC
State history site)
- 1887: North Carolina College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts
established
- 1889: North Carolina College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts
(photo) begins operation
- 1889: Department of Horticulture, Arboriculture, and Botany one
of original five departments
- 1892: Primrose Hall with greenhouses (photo)
built to house the Horticulture Department
- 1916: Area near future location of Kilgore Hall (photo
taken from Patterson Hall) is a pecan grove
- 1917: School of Agriculture established (now the College of Agriculture
and Life Sciences)
- 1918: Campus beginning to develop (photo)
- 1923: Graduate school established
- 1926: First Ph.D. degree is awarded
- 1931: University of North Carolina system is established with three
campuses (Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Greensboro)
- 1938: Main campus area nicely filled in (photo)
- 1950: School of Forestry established (now the College of Forestry
and Natural Resources), sharing Kilgore Hall with Horticultural Science
- 1953: Kilgore Hall construction completed and building dedicated
(speech by Clarence Poe)
- 1984: Centennial Campus established, adding 780 A to campus land
area
- 2002: 1,588 faculty; 28,000 students; 1,877A land area
Change in Facilities
- Primrose Hall for Horticulture department (photo)
near Pullen Hall (around 1900)
- Construction of Kilgore Hall /
Kilgore Greenhouses
- Horticultural Field Laboratory
- JC Raulston Arboretum
- Typical Program of Study
Change over Time
Interviews
- Emeritus Faculty
- Administrators
- Senior Faculty
- Junior Faculty
- Alumni
- Students
Historic Images
- Images: 1887-1899
- Images: 1900-1949
- Images: 1950-1999
Department Heads
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