By Nathan Goudie
When we think of the month of April there are a few holidays you might have in mind, April Fools, Easter, Palm Sunday, Passover… but what about Arbor Day? It isn’t often that we talk about Arbor Day being celebrated across the country. But why do we frequently forget this fundamental holiday?
The holiday originated in 1854, when J. Sterling Morton moved from Detroit, Michigan to Nebraska with his wife Caroline to settle and begin planting trees, shrubs and flowers around their new dream home. Soon after, he became the editor for the Nebraska City Newspaper and wrote bountiful information about wildlife and agricultural reservation into his articles. His passions for nature were reflected in his work, inspiring volunteers to plant trees in their community. After becoming a common name in the area, Morton became “The Secretary of Nebraskan Territory” which enabled him to stress the importance of trees and botanical growth.