Hagley Library is starting the week off with a snow day! To keep the winter wonderland spirit going, we're sharing this undated (ca. 1955?) photograph of an arbor in the snow at Longwood Gardens.
The gardens had their roots in Peirce's Park, an arboretum created by Joshua (1766-1851) and Samuel Peirce (1766-1838), who planted their collections of native and exotic trees on the land near their family's farmhouse in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. After the brothers' death, the land remained in the family, but their arboretum deteriorated over the decades, as ensuing generations lost interest in the property.
In 1906, a lumber mill operator was contracted to remove the trees. But the park wound up being rescued by Pierre S. du Pont, (1870-1954) who purchased the property in July 1906 with the goal of protecting the collection.
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