Many of the trees on Princeton University's campus have been standing for years, some for centuries. Some of these specimens on campus, such as the Sawara Falsecypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera) above, are labeled, allowing visitors to learn more about the University's unique landscape.
Video stills from Danielle Alio, Office of Communications
The landscaping on Princeton University's campus offers clues about the history of the University and beyond, showing the evolution of a campus from the United States' earliest days to the present.
W. Barksdale Maynard, from the Princeton Class of 1988, researched thousands of old campus photos for his book "Princeton: America's Campus." In comparing the historical photos to the present day, he found that many prominent trees are still standing and date back over 100 years.
"Princeton is of national and even international importance as a landscape," Maynard said. "Princeton is not just a pretty place, but a place of tremendous history, and a place that really deserves to be protected and preserved."
This video provides a glimpse at some of the historic trees Maynard highlighted in his research and features commentary by Maynard and Merc Morris from the Princeton Class of 1972, who offers a tree tour each year at Reunions.
