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Double row of trees around campus boundary, 1905.

 

Arbor Day Program, May 12, 1896.

 

Photograph showing trees around the oval and edge of campus, 1904.

On May 12, 1896, in honor of the first campus Arbor Day Celebration, 500 poplar trees were planted around the edge of the campus. The double row of trees ran east to west down Eddy and Keith and north to south down Maurice Avenue. The Missoula Board of Trade purchased the trees for the university. Every major lodge, organization and society planted a tree along with students, faculty and university officials. At the time, roaming livestock and horses were a problem on the university grounds so a wooden fence was installed around the campus perimeter. For the first two years, the city fire engine watered the trees until an irrigation system was set up. A wide dirt road originally surrounded the oval. In 1899 the road was graveled and a double ring of elm trees was planted on the inner and outer edge of the road.