Garden Bridge (late 1800s)
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Circa Late 1800s - Front and center is one of 5 bridges that crossed a creek running through Beal Garden. The creek has since been buried underground, but still runs beneath the garden to this day.
Photo Credit: MSU Archives & Historical Collections (late 1800s) and Molly Taylor (2023)
Northernmost Pond (1888)![](/-/media/assets/bealbotanicalgarden/images/then-and-now/1888-pond-compare.jpg?rev=ebf893317ca3469e89ff1db2f3e6d8b6&hash=D68ABB506CED50E6255C8E57754C18BD)
1888 - The original garden design consisted of 3 ponds, as opposed to our current 1. This is the northernmost pond.
Photo Credit: MSU Archives & Historical Collections (1888) and Molly Taylor (2023)
Pond (late 1800s)![](/-/media/assets/bealbotanicalgarden/images/then-and-now/pond-compare.jpg?h=400&w=1280&rev=c21bfaff9a304b6e984ea41f5423be28&hash=64F7719F1F966CE0CFD24A00740733CD)
Late 1800s -
Photo Credit: MSU Archives & Historical Collections (1800s) and Molly Taylor (2023)
Sleepy Hollow (1910s to 1920s)
Circa 1910s to early 1920s
Photo Credit: MSU Archives & Historical Collections (1910s to 1920s) and Molly Taylor (2023)
View from West Circle Drive (1940s)
1940s
Photo Credit: MSU Archives (1940s) and Molly Taylor (2023)
Katsura Tree (1967)
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1967 -
Photo Credit: Beal Garden Slides (1967) and Molly Taylor (2023)
Choctaw Ridge (1970s)
1970s -
Photo Credit: MSU Archives (1970s) and Molly Taylor (2023)
Garden Toolhouse (1972)
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1972 - This “tool house” was replaced sometime in the 3 years after this photo was taken with the shed that the Beal Garden staff still work out of to this day.
Photo Credit: Beal Garden Slides (1972) and Molly Taylor (2023)
View of Beaumont Tower (1975)
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1975 - A wintery view of Beal Botanical Garden and Beaumont tower before the shade arbor was installed. Note the smaller labels, containing much less information.
Photo credit: William Currie (1975) and Molly Taylor (2023)
Flood (1975)
1975 - Garden flooding as seen from the main entrance stairs.
Photo Credit: Beal Garden Slides (1975) and Molly Taylor (2023)
Pond (1988)
1988 - A view of the pond and the surrounding foliage. Note that there are fewer trees growing and the lack of labels for the plants in and around the pond.
Photo Credit: Beal Garden Slides (1988) and Molly Taylor (2023)
Library Hillside (1999)
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1999 - A view of what is now the Goldner Daylily Bed before its installation & dedication in 2006.
Photo Credit: Beal Garden Archives (1999) and Molly Taylor (2023)
Vegetable and Weed Collections (2002)
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2002 - Though most of the plants in our vegetable and weed collections remain the same, some have been removed to prevent the spread of invasive species.
Photo Credit: Beal Garden Archives (2002) and Molly Taylor (2023)
Sleepy Hollow (2017)![](/-/media/assets/bealbotanicalgarden/images/then-and-now/sleepy-hollow-1.jpg?h=500&w=1280&rev=d712df0a1de14579b6104eb191f69d4c&hash=2EE382C52D9E23391BC204C9854B53E8)
2017 - Taken as part of a Historical Society of Greater Lansing walking tour, this photo shows Sleepy Hollow before a windstorm blew over a large beech tree, which took out several yews and other medium sized trees. They have since been replaced with a native perennial bed.
Photo Credit: Timothy Bowman (2017) and Molly Taylor (2023)