The Dawes Arboretum

The Dawes Arboretum, located just south of Newark on SR 13 (Jacksontown Road, SE) and 3 miles north of I-70, is one of the premier public gardens in North America. The Arboretum is a non-profit organization devoted to providing access to world-class plant collections, hardy to central Ohio. The Arboretum provides a unique education experience any time during the year.

The original goal, and to a large extent, the continuing goal, was to encourage the planting of forest and ornamental trees and demonstrate the value of trees both for practical and scientific research in horticulture and agriculture. The result gives not only pleasure for visitors, but also to educate and improve the general knowledge and love of trees and shrubs.

The Dawes Arboretum was founded by Berman Dawes and his wife Bertie in 1929. Berman's love of tree was just of his passions. While working in the lumber industry, (Dawes operated a wholesale lumber business in Marietta), he began to dream about a way of providing people the opportunity to learn about and appreciate the beauty of trees. Together with his wife, who was a self-taught naturalist and gardener, created The Dawes Arboretum. The couple raised 5 children who later became the founding trustees of The Dawes Arboretum.

You might wonder how an individual creates such a large park. Beman Dawes formed The Pure Oil Company in 1920, and used the assets from The Pure Oil Company to establish an endowment fund for perpetual operation of The Dawes Arboretum. Beman's brother, Brigadier General Charles Gates Dawes, also contributed to the endowment. Charles was Vice President of The United States, 1925 to 1929, and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1925.

Once the Dawes family’s country home, the Daweswood House Museum contains a collection of 19th and 20th century antiques, collectibles and photographs that reflect the lifestyle and collecting interests of the founding family.

What to expect at the Arboretum?

The Arboretum provides access to a variety of ecosystems and native habitats through the 8 miles of walking trails that crisscross the 1700 acres. Don't feel like walking 8 miles? They also have a self-guided auto tour that gently winds through the major portions of the Arboretum with occasional pull-offs to allow visitors to explore smaller portions of the grounds.

The Arboretum's displays of bonsai, azaleas, Japanese gardens, holly, crab apples, and the famous hedges of Dawes Arboretum make up the 15,000 species of plants found at the arboretum. With all this information and educational possibilities, you might think that Dawes Arboretum would be a dull place to spend an afternoon, but in truth, it is quite the contrary. It is a fun environment for family time.

As you explore the grounds, you might take notice of how the grounds are arranged. Parts of the trees are arranged in straight rows, such as the orchards and the 17 buckeye trees. These were part of the original landscape layout and an older way of thinking of how things should be done. Today's landscape design suggest a more casual arrangement, and more interesting to view. One exception is the very large arborvitae hedge that spells out "Dawes Arboretum" that could probably be seen from a space shuttle.

Visitors Center

Besides providing souvenirs and food, there is a Nature Center located in the lower level of the Visitors Center which includes interactive displays, a working beehive and live animals, plus some splendid bird watching.

The Arboretum is open from dawn until dusk, except for major holidays. The Visitors Center and Gift Shop is open Monday - Saturday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Sundays 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.