About Hoyt Arboretum
Hoyt Arboretum was founded in 1928 on land that had been Multnomah County's Poor Farm, and it is named for Ralph Warren Hoyt, the county commissioner who championed it. Its first curator planted the first tree in 1930. Today the City of Portland owns it through Portland Parks & Recreation, which calls it a museum of living trees, and the nonprofit Hoyt Arboretum Friends runs the Visitor Center.
History at a Glance
Before the Arboretum
Before 1850 the ridge was dense forest of Douglas-fir, western redcedar, western hemlock, bigleaf maple and red alder, according to Hoyt Arboretum Friends. Eli and Ann C. Stewart filed a donation land claim of 632 acres here in 1851. By 1868 Multnomah County had bought 160 acres of it for the Hillside Farm, a "Poor Farm" where residents kept livestock and an orchard. After years of poor conditions the farm moved to Troutdale in 1911.
Founding (1922 to 1928)
Portland's parks superintendent E.T. Mische, trained at the Olmsted landscape firm, saw the empty farm as the place for a city arboretum. In 1922 the county sold the land to Portland for $10. The city considered home sites and a golf course, but Mische's successor C.P. Keyser kept the arboretum idea alive.
During National Forestry Week in 1928, the Forestry Committee of the Chamber of Commerce persuaded the City Council to set aside land in Washington Park for an arboretum to preserve evergreens for education and recreation, according to Portland Parks & Recreation. It was named for Ralph Warren Hoyt, the county commissioner who championed it. The southern half of the old Poor Farm became the West Hills Golf Course.
Planting the Collection (1930s and 1940s)
The first curator started in 1930 and planted trees by family under the 1930 Duncan Plan, built trails and roads, and oversaw the golf course, with help at times from Depression-era WPA, CWA and NYA crews. By 1936 he had planted more than 4,000 trees. In the 1930s planners used Fairview Blvd to split the collection: conifers to the west, broadleaf trees to the east. Ernie Fischer became curator in 1940, finished the family plan by 1944 and stayed 30 years.
Storm, Zoo and Memorial
- 1959: the zoo moved to Washington Park and took the golf course land.
- 1962: the Columbus Day Storm flattened most of the trees on the arboretum's south-facing slopes.
- 1980s: the Vietnam Veterans of Oregon Memorial was built on 11 acres of arboretum land, dedicated in 1987.
- 1986: Hoyt Arboretum Friends was founded, in response to the memorial project, to partner with the city.
Hoyt Arboretum Today
Portland Parks & Recreation lists the arboretum at 190 ridge-top acres with 12 miles of trails, about 6,000 trees and shrubs, and a mission rooted in conserving endangered species and educating the public. Hoyt Arboretum Friends, a membership nonprofit, runs the Visitor Center, tours, classes and volunteer programs in partnership with the city; membership starts at a $35 yearly donation. See the tree collection.
About This Website
hoytarboretum.com is an independent visitor guide. It is not run by, endorsed by or connected to Portland Parks & Recreation or Hoyt Arboretum Friends. The official sources are Portland Parks & Recreation's Hoyt Arboretum page at portland.gov and Hoyt Arboretum Friends at hoytarboretum.org. Facts here are checked against those sources; when they disagree, this guide follows the city.
About Hoyt Arboretum FAQ
Who is Hoyt Arboretum named after?
Ralph Warren Hoyt, the Multnomah County commissioner who championed creating the arboretum in 1928.
When was Hoyt Arboretum founded?
In 1928. The first tree was planted in 1930, and more than 4,000 were in the ground by 1936.
Who owns Hoyt Arboretum?
The City of Portland, through Portland Parks & Recreation. The nonprofit Hoyt Arboretum Friends runs the Visitor Center and programs in partnership with the city.
Is hoytarboretum.com the official Hoyt Arboretum website?
No. It is an independent guide. The official sites are portland.gov/parks/hoyt-arboretum and hoytarboretum.org.