Then and Now is a historical photo project designed to give you a side-by-side comparison of different locations in the garden to visually see how much things have changed. Be sure to visit the garden installation based on this project to see these locations for yourself! A larger version of the map below can be found in the display case at the north end of the garden or on our Resources page.
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Hunnell.
Circa Late 1800s - Front and center is one of five bridges that crossed a creek running through Beal Garden. The creek has since been buried, but still runs beneath the garden to this day.
Photo Credit: MSU Archives & Historical Collections (late 1800s) and Molly Taylor (2023).
1888 - The original garden design consisted of three ponds, as opposed to our current one. This is the northernmost pond.
Photo Credit: MSU Archives & Historical Collections (1888) and Molly Taylor (2023).
Late 1800s -
Photo Credit: MSU Archives & Historical Collections (1800s) and Molly Taylor (2023).
Circa 1910s to early 1920s
Photo Credit: MSU Archives & Historical Collections (1910s to 1920s) and Molly Taylor (2023).
1940s
Photo Credit: MSU Archives (1940s) and Molly Taylor (2023).
1967 -
Photo Credit: Beal Garden Slides (1967) and Molly Taylor (2023).
1970s -
Photo Credit: MSU Archives (1970s) and Molly Taylor (2023).
1972 - This “tool house” was replaced sometime in the three 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).
1975 - A wintertime 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).
1975 - Garden flooding as seen from the main entrance stairs.
Photo Credit: Beal Garden Slides (1975) and Molly Taylor (2023).
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).
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).
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).
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).