Historic Springfield Mills Gets Modern Engineering Update A unique collaboration between Penn engineers and Morris Arboretum & Gardens is resurrecting a piece of Penn and Philadelphia history: Springfield Mills. A unique collaboration between the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM) at Penn Engineering and Morris Arboretum & Gardens is harnessing innovation to resurrect a piece of Penn and Philadelphia history: Springfield Mills . Dating back to 1761, the mill sits on the Wissahickon Creek—which originally powered the mill by water—and offers a compelling glimpse into the agricultural and engineering landscape of the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries.  Springfield Mills stands out as the most complete inventory of original gristmill works and related machinery in the area, with only four remaining mills in the Wissahickon. The three-and-a-half-story mill served multiple functions, including sawing timber, grinding corn into flour, and pumping water for field irrigation. Image Historic Springfield Mills The Mill’s Legacy and Restoration In the early 2000s, the Run-of-the-Mill volunteers—a dedicated group including engineers and employees of the Morris—worked to restore the mill back to functionality.  The volunteers and staff developed a public tour and handled all necessary maintenance, allowing the Morris to host demonstration days, giving visitors an immersive experience with the century-old machinery that allowed the millers to grind grain and corn to flour. When running, the mill hums with the steady sounds of shaking sieves, grain elevators, the rumbling of gears, and the grinding of millstones. "When you see it and what it captures, you're like, 'This is the most incredible thing ever,'" explains Bryan Thompson-Nowak, director of education at the Morris. These demonstrations go beyond mere mechanical display. "Obviously, the physics of it is captivating, but the message we want to get across is that the flour you get doesn't …

Supporting Our 127-Year-Old Katsura-Tree If you’ve visited the majestic katsura-tree ( Cercidiphyllum japonicum ) in the last few weeks, you may have noticed the X-brace installed by our Arborist team. This support structure was added to help preserve one of the most significant and beloved trees at Morris Arboretum & Gardens.  If you’ve visited the majestic katsura-tree ( Cercidiphyllum japonicum ) in the last few weeks, you may have noticed the X-brace installed by our Arborist team. This support structure was added to help preserve one of the most significant and beloved trees at Morris Arboretum & Gardens.  Image Figure 1: Katsura-tree with a recently installed X-brace to support the large branch.  In its native range of Japan and China, the katsura-tree is commonly found growing in temperate forests along streambanks, rivers, and other moist but well-drained soils. In autumn its bright yellow, heart-shaped leaves release a distinctive sweet scent—often compared to burnt sugar—as they senesce and drift to the ground, filling the air with a delicious fragrance. In 1898, John Morris acquired a young katsura-tree from the esteemed Veitch Nursery in London, making our specimen at least 127 years old. Today, our katsura-tree holds the title of Pennsylvania state champion for its species and is arguably the largest tree in the city of Philadelphia.  Chief Arborist Peter Fixler, dedicated to preserving Morris’s living collection, recently oversaw the replacement of several aging steel cables supporting the massive limbs of this tree. Two new cables were added to bolster the tree’s structural integrity, ensuring its continued stability. As part of this care, a large lower branch resting on the ground was also reinforced to prevent stress and preserve the tree’s graceful form.   Image Figure 2: Shown here are the three points of contact. Point three shows the dead branch that required the installation of the X-brace (located behind point 3).  Image Figure 3: Arborist …

Impact Report Impact Report Image Impact Report July 2024 – June 2025 Read the latest Impact Report below, or download the PDF  here .  Past Impact Reports 2024 – 2025 •  2023 – 2024 • 2022 – 2023 •  2021 – 2022 • 2020 – 2021  • 2019 – 2020 • 2018 – 2019 • 2017 – 2018 • 2016 – 2017  • 2015 – 2016 • 2014 – 2015 • 2013 – 2014 • 2012 – 2013 …

John T. Morris Takes Pictures of Port Richmond with His Kodak. It’s 1889. Earlier this month on  Hidden City Philadelphia , archivist Joyce Munro shared photographs of Port Richmond taken in the 19th century by John T. Morris on the first point-and-shoot Kodak camera. Step back in time with us!  Last week on  Hidden City Philadelphia , archivist Joyce Munro shared photographs taken in the 19th century by John T. Morris whose legacy lives on at Morris Arboretum & Gardens, which was once his and his sister Lydia's private estate. In these photographs, taken with the first point-and-shoot Kodak camera, Morris captured everyday life in Port Richmond in 1889. His photographs offer a rare glimpse into Philadelphia’s past and the beginnings of modern photography. Read the full story →  Image Image   Image Image   Blog Image December 17, 2025 …

Exploring South Korea Through the Lens of Gardens, Education, and Global Connection From vibrant botanic gardens to unexpected adventures on Korea’s high‑speed trains, Director of Education Bryan Thompsonowak's summer adventures offered a whole new perspective on global horticulture, education, and the power of green spaces to connect people across cultures. Image Morris Director of Education Bryan Thompsonowak and Education Programs Manager Mackenzie Knight-Fochs of Scott Arboretum & Gardens at Swarthmore College before their BGCI presentation. This past June, I had the exciting opportunity to travel to South Korea through the Paul Meyer and Debbie Rogers Extraordinary Experience Endowment, which supports transformative international learning experiences for Morris Arboretum & Gardens staff. Although I had never visited Korea before, the trip quickly became one of the most memorable journeys of my career. What began as a long-anticipated‑anticipated adventure soon unfolded into an inspiring look at global horticulture, educational collaboration, and the deep cultural value Korea places on green spaces. The first week of my trip centered around the Botanical Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) Education Conference in Seoul, a gathering that only occurs once every few years and attracts garden educators from every continent. The experience was unlike any conference I had attended in the United States—sessions were introduced with more theatrical flair than I’m accustomed to, with walk‑up music, enthusiastic MCs, cameras, lights, video and camera crews, and an energy that transformed educational presentations into celebratory moments. Beneath the spectacle, though, was a clear shared mission: to ignite public appreciation for plants, landscapes, and the natural world. I had the pleasure of co-presenting with Education Programs Manager Mackenzie Knight-Fochs of Scott Arboretum & Gardens at Swarthmore College , highlighting the collaborative conferences and …

Growing a Career Through the Urban Forestry Apprenticeship From learning to identify and care for trees to attending national conferences, Matt Walker shares how the Urban Forestry Apprenticeship helped him grow as an arborist, a student, and a steward of the environment. Image Matt Walker working at the base of a young tree. The Urban Forestry Apprenticeship was supposed to last just one year, but two years and a few months later it’s time to reflect on my experience here at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens. I’m in awe of the vast wealth of knowledge that was shared with me. Not only am I able to identify trees around me, but I also know how to plant them, how to care for them, and how to manage them in landscapes. I learned how to use mapping and design software, how to use arboricultural equipment like resistance drills, and how to write reports for clients. I attended many educational tree-related conferences and was able to take master-level courses at the University of Pennsylvania in soil science and environmental planning. The encouragement I received from those around me nurtured my passion for trees and the environment. That support came to life through my achievement of becoming an ISA Certified Arborist—an accomplishment made possible by this apprenticeship. With the expertise I gained at Morris, I created the foundational skill set for the rest of my career caring for trees. Image Matt Walker, former Martha S. Miller & Rusty Miller Urban Forestry Apprentice. UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES One of the unique things about this apprenticeship is that it took me to amazing places outside the Morris gates. As a lifelong resident of the Philadelphia area, I had the opportunity to see parts of my region I had never seen before from a perspective that not many people get to experience. Some highlights include finding the state champion southern red oak in a city park, teaching students about trees at W.B Saul High School, and peering down George Washington’s outhouse while …

Winter Blooms at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens Vince Marrocco, the Gayle E. Maloney Director of Horticulture at the Morris Arboretum & Garden, spoke with Penn Today about vibrant early blooms that defy the cold. Image Winter at Morris Arboretum & Gardens is a unique experience of vibrant early blooms that defy the cold. Despite the chilly weather, plants like wintersweet, witchhazel, and snowdrops bring a splash of color to the landscape. These plants have unique adaptations that allow them to thrive in winter, such as waxy petals that prevent freezing and colors that attract early pollinators. Learn more about these vibrant plants and their fascinating adaptations in the full article on Penn Today  in which Vince Marrocco, the Gayle E. Maloney Director of Horticulture at the Morris Arboretum & Garden, goes into detail about these early blooms. Experience Early Blooms at the Morris Image Witchhazel Tour Saturday, February 8 • 11 am Saturday, February 22 • 11 am Free with general admission Take a tour of one of the largest collections of witchhazels in the country, where an experienced guide will show you the many varieties of these delightful winter beauties that add surprising bursts of color and fragrance to the winter landscape.  Learn More Image Garden Highlights January – March Weekends: 1:00 pm March – December Weekdays: 10:30 am • Weekends: 1:00 pm Free with general admission Our knowledgeable guides will design a tour around the interests of the attendees. Every tour is different so come back as many times as you’d like. Learn More Image Signs of Spring Saturday, March 22 • 10 am Free with general admission Ready to explore the arrival of spring’s beauty? Signs of spring pop up with tree buds, spring ephemerals, early cherries, and dogwoods. This tour uncovers the delight of a new season. Learn More Image Walking with the Seasons Five Mondays, February 3, 17; March 3, 17, 31  • 11 am – 12:30 pm   Members: $25 • Non-members: $30 Join us for a curated set of …

Legacy Weeping Hemlock Taken Out by Snowstorm The tree will get a second life on the woodland trail to the Wetland. Image The weeping hemlock ( Tsuga canadensis f. pendula ​​​​​​) that was brought down by the February 13, 2024 snow storm. Photo by Vince Marrocco. This past winter at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens was not very “wintery” by most accounts. Yes, there was some cold and a few snowstorms, but it was  relatively  un-winterlike. However, this was a winter of some discontent. In particular, the biggest discontent was the snowstorm of February 13. This quick-moving storm brought with it about 5 inches of wet snow, but it also brought down the venerable old weeping hemlock ( Tsuga canadensis f. pendula ) near the Morris Pond. This was a legacy tree from the Morris era, most likely purchased by John from Parson & Sons Co. nursery in Flushing, New York. It grew at the Morris Pond almost since the Arboretum’s inception, until that fateful day in February. This tree was remarkable not only for its size and prominence but also because of the unique history it represented. ONCE ABUNDANT Eastern hemlock ( Tsuga canadensis ) was once a mainstay of the woodland flora throughout Pennsylvania. These long-lived, majestic conifers thrived across the state and were a significant component of William Penn’s wooded domain. In fact, hemlock trees were such an integral part of the flora throughout Pennsylvania that it was named the official state tree in 1931. Eastern hemlocks thrive in cool moist environments and often grow in dense shade on north facing slopes. They can grow slowly in adverse conditions, or rapidly in the right environment. Historically, this species was abundant in the Wissahickon gorge in cool ravines. The story of our weeping hemlock does not start in Pennsylvania, but along the Lower Hudson River Valley in New York. It was here near the estate of General Joseph Howland that our story begins. Joseph Howland was a well-heeled member of society. His …