Department of Horticultural Science
1880s
The Department of Horticulture, Arboriculture, and Botany was established as one of the five original academic divisions of the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts.
Professor Wilbur Massey portrait1890s
The entomology curriculum was taught within the Department of Horticulture, Arboriculture, and Botany.
The Department of Horticulture, Arboriculture, and Botany moved to the newly constructed Primrose Hall.
GreenhouseNamed after William Stuart Primrose, a primary founder of NC State, Primrose Hall was built in 1896 to house the Department of Horticulture.
Primrose Hall, built in 1896. The greenhouses were used by horticulture, botany, and arboriculture departments. Tompkins in rear1900s
The Department of Horticulture, Arboriculture, and Botany moved to Patterson Hall, originally known as Agricultural Hall.
Patterson Hall, originally called Agricultural Hall, was named for Samuel Ledgerwood Patterson. This building housed the Department of Horticulture, Aboriculture, and Botany.
Patterson Hall1910s
1920s
Ricks Hall, built by Thomas Wright Cooper and G. Murray Nelson, opened to house the Agricultural Extension Service, agricultural economics and business, agricultural information, and horticulture departments. It was named for Robert Henry Ricks.
Ricks HallProfessor Joseph Plummer Pillsbury initiated developing a curriculum in landscape architecture, which was was established as a component of courses in the Department of Horticulture.
1930s
1940s
Food science curriculum was scattered throughout several departments, including animal industry, horticulture, and poultry science.
The Division of Landscape Architecture was established in the Department of Horticulture.
1950s
The new building housing the School of Forestry and the Department of Horticulture was formally dedicated as Kilgore Hall. The building was named in honor of the late Dr. Benjamin Wesley Kilgore. He was the former Dean of Agriculture, Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station, and the first head of North Carolina's Agricultural Extension Service.
Entrance to Department of Forestry, Kilgore Hall, North Carolina State CollegeThe Department of Horticulture moved to Kilgore Hall.
Kilgore Hall
Fred D. Cochran portrait1960s
The Department of Horticulture was renamed the Department of Horticultural Science. More historical information exists on the department's website.
Horticultural Science class in greenhouse1970s
The Gardner Arboretum was located on a one-acre tract between Patterson Hall and Burlington Laboratories. It was named for M.E. Gardner, former head of the Department of Horticulture.
M. E. Gardner Arboretum with Burlington Engineering Laboratories in background