In 2001, the City of Columbia purchased 116 acres from Stephens College. The college had previously used the land for a golf course. After a short period of renovation, the park was officially dedicated in 2005.

Two collections are planned that will be the focus of the arboretum. The native trees and shrubs of Missouri will feature each species of woody plants known to be native to the state. We are also expanding our oak collection with the goal of joining the Quercus Multi-site Collection group (NAPCC). Other collections planned (or current collections will be expanded upon) include an Aesculus collection (already with 15 distinct specimens), Cercis collection, Acer collection and a conifer collection.

These collections will be spread throughout the park and species within the above collections will appear in individual gardens such as a proposed Asian garden, European garden, xeric/desert garden, and several rain gardens. We already have two ornamental gardens, The Hindman Discovery and Welliver Memorial Gardens, as well as the Children’s Grove – a Magnolia collection. In addition to plantings around the lakeshore and island, two waterfalls and two rain gardens have also been planted.