Celebrating Arbor Day

On Friday, April 30, representatives of the Village government observed Arbor Day with a celebration and tree dedication. Mayor Kaplan read the Arbor Day Proclamation, and three trees were dedicated in the memory of residents who were devoted public servants of our Village. A Swamp White Oak was dedicated to Chuck Smith, Mayor of the Village from 1985-1993. A Red Maple was dedicated to Nancy Morten, Village Clerk and Special Projects Administrator who passed away earlier this year. And a Swamp White Oak was dedicated to Lorraine Lang, Building Department employee and long-time friend to many. The memory of these friends of Riverwoods will live on in the changing colors of the seasons.

The history of Arbor Day. Among the pioneers moving into Nebraska Territory in 1854 was J. Sterling Morton from Detroit. He and his wife were lovers of nature, and the home they established in Nebraska was quickly planted with trees, shrubs and flowers.

Morton was also a journalist and soon became editor of the Nebraska City News. Given that forum, he spread agricultural information and his enthusiasm for trees to an equally enthusiastic audience. His fellow pioneers in the Nebraska prairie missed their trees, but more importantly, trees were needed as windbreaks to keep soil in place, for fuel and building materials, and for shade from the hot prairie sun.

Morton not only advocated tree planting by individuals in his articles and editorials, but he also encouraged civic organizations and groups to join in. His prominence in the area increased, and he was appointed Secretary of the Nebraska Territory by President James Buchanan, which provided another opportunity to stress the value of trees. He eventually went on to become U.S. Secretary of Agriculture under President Cleveland. He is credited with helping change that department into a coordinated service to farmers, and he supported Cleveland in setting up national forest reservations.

On January 4, 1872, Morton first proposed a treeplanting holiday to be called "Arbor Day." Prizes were offered to counties and individuals for properly planting the largest number of trees on that day. It was estimated that more than one million trees were planted in Nebraska on the first Arbor Day.

Arbor Day was officially proclaimed by the young state's governor Robert W. Furnas on March 12, 1874. In 1885, Arbor Day was named a legal holiday in Nebraska and April 22, Morton's birthday, was selected as the date for it's permanent observance.

As a side note, Sterling Morton's son Joy Morton founded the Morton Salt Company in Chicago and also created the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois. Who knew Arbor Day could be so interesting.

Information is from The Arbor Day Foundation website: arborday.org and the Morton Arboretum website mortonarboretum.com