D.A. Murphy Panhandle Arboretum 

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1974 - Fill soil was added to an area east of the J.G. Elliot Building on a grade from the flagpole up to the patio in front of the building. A sprinkler system was installed and sod from greenhouse construction site was moved in.

The J.G. Elliot building was surrounded by a sea of bluegrass with exception of the flagpole area. Five rectangular flower beds were established to add interest and spacial definition. Two were placed linearly to the west as viewed from wide full length windows of the break room. A third bed was further west. The far flower bed would draw ones eye and send an inviting message of “come and see.” Two more beds were located to the northwest of the building out to the edge of the turf where it broke to the north and west. 

The color provided by these beds added a visual excitement to the landscape. The beds were chiseled 18" deep and the surface area incorporated with peat moss. This resulted in the creation of five evaporative tubs that accumulated salts. Plant performance declined with time. In 1980 the two northwest beds were returned to turf. A tiled drain system was installed in the other three. Plant performance again declined with time. In 1987 the far west bed was returned to turf and the two others were reworked with a more correct elaborate drainage system. Again plant performance declined with time and in 1993 these beds were abandoned. It was a mistake to think that the roots of growing plants would get down and pump water from the deeper chiseled soils. What happened was these beds acted as a drainage area for excess water put in the surrounding turf and then through evaporation from the cultivated soil surface deposited salts.

1975 - Moved, shaped and formed soil in dog leg to the northwest and northeast of the main parking lot. A sprinkler system was installed and the area planted to a bluegrass blend of Adelphi, Baron and Vista. Secured bridge timbers from an abandoned railroad project north of Mitchell. Hauled in soil to the northeast of the main parking lot along the ditch bank.

1976 - Put in vertical railroad tie wall along the ditch bank including steps up to ditch road. This area was designed for perennial plantings so people could walk in among them or view from ground level or from above.

1977 - Arranged bridge timbers to form numerous planting beds to the ditch area to the west of the perennial garden. These beds were set at a 5% grade facing south by southwest. A sprinkler system had been installed. A planting of twenty different ground covers were planted into this bed. Broken concrete was secured from several construction projects in the area.

1978 - Broken concrete pieces were selected, shaped and set into a serpentine wall west of the ground cover beds. The planting area was elevated one and one half feet above ground level and used to plant annual flowers. Moved in a lot of soil north of the annual bed to form a visual barrier between the north end of the parking lot and the machine shed and storage lot. Secured ties. Secured a tree spade from Meade Ag. Lab. Moved Blue Spruce from north and south of J.G. Elliot building to the west side to form a solid row and separate the west side of the campus from the field area just beyond. 

Moved cottonwoods from a providence planting at the Scottsbluff Ag. Lab to an area south of the J.G. Elliot building. Moved Russian Olive from a planting at the Scottsbluff Ag. Lab to screen the east entrance of the parking lot as approaching from the south. 

Moved Scotch Pine crosses from a Ralph Read genetic study at the Scottsbluff Ag. Lab. These were planted in a mass east of the perennial bed and directly north of the south approach road. Several Ponderosa and Austrian Pine were included in this planting. Railroad ties and tie butts were used to separate the tree plantings. These plantings were mulched with wood chips. 

It was at this time that contacts were made encouraging Nebraska Public Power and other tree trimming companies to use our property as a free chip dumping area. 

1979 - Moved Scotch Pine from around the Hiram Scott Dorms to the earth mound along the ditch bank at the west end of the annuals. Several Rocky Mountain Junipers and a selected Ash from a providence study of Walt Bagely were also moved to this mound. Secured more tie butts from Antioch area.

1980 - Completed the tie butt design to the north side of the ground cover beds. Worked on retaining wall on the north of the mound west of the annual bed. Kim Todd completed a master landscape design plan for the Center. 

1981 - Transplanted trees out of old nursery. Moved much soil into the east end of the old nursery area. 

1982 - Moved plants to the east end of nursery so rest of area to west can be brought up to grade. Hauled more soil and built up road system to south of nursery. 

1983 - Moved in soil to form a two to three foot mound out from the northeast corner of the east greenhouse to meet the road. Rocky Mountain Juniper were commercially moved from the Scottsbluff Ag. Lab and planted tight in a single row to visually screen from the public view of the machine shed and lot to the north. Secured more ties from the Minatare area. 

1984 - Moved soil to form mound for signs south of the entrance from Highway 71. Designed entrance sign in shape of the State of Nebraska. Planted the area to Blaze Little Bluestem--the state grass. 

1985 - Tie row in back (west of building). Brought in chips. Stairs.

1988 - November 2, Arboretum Work Day Planted and mulched five Ash trees. Pulled pipe off shrubs. Steps. 

1989 - Staff Arboretum Work Day May planning for signs with new signs made at Meade. Cleared out the nursery in 1989 and finished cleaning out by June 1990. Completed Arboretum Evaluation with NSA director. 

1990 - Troop 2 Boys Scouts of America (Signs) Rob Wilson Eagle project (Outdoor classroom) John Bird Eagle project (East end of South Parking Lot) Arvon Palmer Eagle project (Sign area to South East corner of building) May 1990, stripped sod around outdoor classroom Drip line out east Renovated ground covers Pulled out old signs Planted Turkish Filbert Steps by ground covers 

1991 - Satellite dish area Mulch cedar trees, pines by dorm, trees in state parking lot, Russian Olive and walkway by outdoor classroom Sprinkler line at range sight and sprinkler line for Nebraska sign 

1992 - Michael Goldman Eagle project (berm area east of greenhouse) Jan. 1992, expended parking lot to south 

1993 - Tim Wilson Eagle project (berm area around Mighty Mo) Morrill Mavericks 4-H Club project (started mound by auditorium) Reaffirmed association with Trails West Iris Society Added more wooden signs Work Day, ski Nebraska project (Don’s idea - David’s mountain) 

1994 - Lake Alice 4H Club (berm area north of building) Trevor Gillman Eagle project (establish xeriscape area at southeast corner of south parking lot) 

1995 - Tyson Allred Eagle project (labeling of plants) 

1996 - Travis Burkey Eagle project (establish mowing strip around entrance mound and plant buffalo grass Travis Yonts Eagle project (labeling of plants) Chuck Fraase Eagle project (complete approach for tour loading south of the exriscape garden including installation of benches.) Installed another bench in the outdoor classroom Weed control and mulch Iris bed tie strip Mulch and tie strip for Linden.