| Marker Number |
5610 |
| Atlas Number |
5121005610 |
| Marker Title |
University Gardens, Texas Woman's University |
| Index Entry |
University Gardens, Texas Woman's University |
| Address |
|
| City |
Denton |
| County |
Denton |
| UTM Zone |
14 |
| UTM Easting |
674451 |
| UTM Northing |
3678028 |
| Subject Codes |
educational topics; women, women's history topics; Botany |
| Marker Year |
1982 |
| Recorded Texas Historic Landmark |
No |
| Marker Location |
near intersection of Bell and Chapel Roads on campus of Texas Woman's University (in front of Little Chapel), Denton |
| Private Property |
No |
| Marker Condition |
In Situ |
| Marker Size |
27" x 42" |
| Marker Text |
The original Rock Garden and native botanical area at this site was established in the 1930s by the Exterior Beautification Committee of Texas State College for Women, now Texas Woman's University. Members of the committee were Willie Isabella Birge, director of the Department of Biology, Fred Westcourt, director of the Department of Rural Arts and Mary Marshall, director of the Department of Art. The gardens were planned and landscaped to display a diverse collection of plants from Texas and other areas. Paths and retaining walls were constructed of native stone. The adjacent chapel in the woods was added in 1938. A focal point of the campus for many years, the gardens were neglected following World War II and they became overgrown. In the late 1970s, through a cooperative effort of university officials and local residents, the area was restored. The University Gardens are now a sanctuary for the preservation of native Texas wildflowers. The site serves as an educational laboratory for students, as a trail garden for plants used in campus landscaping and as a place of serenity and relaxation. (1982) |
