Department of Crop and Soil Sciences

Historical State Timelines
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
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1880s

10/1889 First agronomy courses offered

Agronomy courses were offered when the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts opened.

1900s

circa 1900 Division of Agronomy created

1910s

01/01/1910 M. E. Sherwin hired as first soil science professor

1920s

1924 Department of Agronomy established

The Division of Agronomy became the Department of Agronomy.

5/20/1927 Agronomy survey conducted

Students in the Agronomy 135 course, Farm Terracing, spent the day outside doing lab work, including surveying the land in preparation for planning tile drains.

North Carolina State College agricultural students locating terrace on campus, Raleigh, May 20, 1927North Carolina State College agricultural students locating terrace on campus, Raleigh, May 20, 1927

1930s

1930 Genetics curriculum established

Genetics curriculum was taught as a component of coursework in the agronomy, zoology, and plant pathology departments.

1940s

1947 First PhDs in Agronomy with soils major awarded to N. S. Hall and N. C. Brady

1950s

1952 Department of Agronomy moved

The Department of Agronomy moved to Williams Hall.

Williams HallWilliams Hall
1956 Department of Agronomy divided

The Department of Agronomy was divided into the Department of Field Crops and the Department of Soils.

1956-1974 Paul H. Harvey served as head of the Department of Field Crops
Paul H. Harvey portraitPaul H. Harvey portrait
1956-1964 J. W. Fitts served as head of the Department of Soils
Dr. James W. Fitts portraitDr. James W. Fitts portrait

1960s

1962 Department of Field Crops renamed

The Department of Field Crops was renamed the Department of Crop Science.

1962 Department of Soils renamed

The Department of Soils was renamed the Department of Soil Science.

1964-1970 Ralph J. McCracken served as head of the Department of Soils
Ralph J. McCrackenRalph J. McCracken

1970s

1971-1981 C. B. McCants served as head of the Department of Soils
Charles B. McCants portraitCharles B. McCants portrait
1974-1975 Philip A. Miller served as head of the Department of Crop Science
1976-1988 Billy E. Caldwell served as head of the Department of Crop Science

1980s

1982-1989 R. H. Miller served as head of the Department of Soils
1989 Soil science history published

Ralph J. McCracken published his book The History of Soil Science at North Carolina State University. An updated version existed on the department's website.

1989-1992 Johnny C. Wynne served as head of the Department of Crop Science

1990s

1990 Crop science institutional history written

P. H. Harvey wrote Crop Science: A Harvest of 100 Years, an institutional history of the department. A print edition exists in the library.

1990-1996 Eugene J. Kampreth served as head of the Department of Soils
1992-1994 William K. Collins served as head of the Department of Crop Science
Portrait: William K. Collins, Field CropsPortrait: William K. Collins, Field Crops
1994-1998 David A. Knauft served as head of the Department of Crop Science
Knauft portraitKnauft portrait
1999-2007 Thomas Stalker served as head of the Department of Crop Science
1999-2003 John L. Havlin served as head of the Department of Soil Science

2000s

2004-2005 Keith Cassel served as head of the Department of Soil Science
2007-2016 M.G. Wagger served as head of the Department of Soil Science

Wagger served as interim head from 2006-2007

2010s

2012 John Jeffery Mullahey became head of the Department of Crop Science
07/01/2016 Departments of Soil Science and Crop Science merged to form the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences