40th Anniversary Throwback Tour

The Entrance

The first NCSU Arboretum visitor center with its small gravel parking lot was completed in 1980. It was full of welcoming whimsy and humor and highlighted the first Master Plan of the arboretum. It was located where today’s west entrance to the Klein-Pringle White Garden.

The entrance to the Arboretum is receiving a fabulous facelift in 2016. As a part of the NC State University Gateways project, the new entrance will feature a stainless steel decorative gate with brick columns. On the gate’s arch is the name of the arboretum surrounded by Japanese maple leaves, the symbol of the JC Raulston Arboretum. The design on the gate’s doorway was inspired by the Japanese maple in the parking lot circle. Visitors will enter into a modern Roberto Burle Marx- style garden under the live oaks that was inspired by garden friend and designer extradionaire, Chip Calloway.

Original Entrance

Art Sullivan, Mac Little, and other students build original visitor center.

Original visitor center led visitors to the White Garden.

Pedestrian Entrance

New pedestrian entrance was installed in 2002 along Beryl Road with the opening new Visitor Center and Ruby C. McSwain Education Center.