Circa 1880 - A view of Professor Beal’s Botany lab and greenhouse located where the present day west wing of the main library stands.
Photo Credit: MSU Archives and Historical Collections
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
1896 - A view of the botanical garden with some visitors. The building in the background is the botany lab, which is where the main library is located today.
Photo Credit: MSU Archives and Historical Collections
Circa 1976/Between 1972 and 1978 – An ariel view of the garden, taken before the Gingko tree was planted, but shortly after the new shed was built.
Photo Credit: Beal Garden Slides
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
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
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
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
1999 - A view of what is now the Goldner Daylily Bed before its installation & dedication in 2006.
Photo Credit: Beal Garden Archives
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
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
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