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George William Longenecker

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George William “Bill” Longenecker (August 19, 1899 – February 25, 1969) was a landscape architect, educator, and executive director and co-creator of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum.[1] His career lasted from 1926 to 1965. Born in 1899 in Nielsville, WI, his parents homesteaded in North Dakota and Utah before settling back in Wisconsin in Bill's teenage years. After earning his degree in Landscape Architecture, he became a professor in the subject and then the Chairman of the Landscape Architecture Department at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He loved fishing, his family, and his dogs. He took up watercolor painting later in life.

Family edit

Born 1899, August 19, in Neillsville, Wi, the son of the late Rev. and Mrs. George Washington Longenecker. G William's (Bill) father was George Washington Longenecker, who was born in Grofdale, Pa.

Before Bill was born, his father and his parents had moved to central Michigan. George studied at Oberlin College, in Oberlin, Ohio, and became a Congregational Minister; he and Rose moved to in Northern Wisconsin to do mission work in the logging camps and start a church. Bill was born in Neilsville during this time. The family moved to Berthold, N Dakota, homesteaded there, and then moved to Minot, North Dakota, and Provo, Utah.[2] The family took the train out to Utah, then on the return trip, decided to take the wagon route, and engaged 2 horses, a mule and mountain wagon to travel back to Wisconsin, taking 3 months for the journey. Rose wrote an extensive diary of their time homesteading and traveling.[3] George, Bill's father, was the pastor of the Neilsville Congregational Church for 38 years.

The Longeneckers had four children, George William, his brother Ernst, and two sisters, Lois and Gladys.

Longenecker married Sarah Schuyler Stebbins (born Aug 11, 1905) on June 22, 1926.

His son George, also a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, was a professor of landscape architecture at West Virginia University, and founded the West Virginia Botanic Garden.

Around 1950, Longenecker and his wife purchased property along the Wisconsin River between Mazomanie and Sauk City, and built a cottage from an old CCC building that had been on Arboretum property.

Education edit

Longenecker was graduated from Neilsville High School. He then attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, from which he received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1924, and earned a Master of Science in horticulture in 1929.[4]

Professional connexions edit

At the time of his death, the Wisconsin State Journal wrote he was or had been associated with the American Society of Landscape Architects, the American Society of Botanical Gardens and Arboretums, The Association of Wisconsin Planners, the Wisconsin Parks and Recreation Society, the Wisconsin Friends of our Native Landscape (as Director), Wisconsin Development Council (advisor), the Madison Silde and Movie Club (President), the Wisconsin Academy of Science, Arts and Letters (vice-president), and the Farmhouse Fraternity, also known as Delta Theta Sigma.[5]

UW Madison edit

He joined the faculty at UW-Madison in 1928 in the school of Agriculture. He was promoted from instructor to assistant professor in 1933, to associate professor in 1936, and to full professor in 1947.[5]

In the first few decades, Professor Longenecker and Professor Aust facilitated notable guest lectures for students, including lectures by Jens Jensen and Frank Lloyd Wright[6]

He served as the university's landscape architect.[7] He was also responsible for UW campus landscape design, supervision of installation, and overseeing of maintenance 1926 to 1965.

He started the UW-Madison Landscape Architecture Department in 1964 and served as its chairman until his retirement in 1967; the department received accreditation under his leadership.[6]

Arboretum at UW Madison edit

Longenecker was named the executive director of the arboretum at the UW-Madison in 1933, and served as executive director until 1958. He was responsible for all arboretum planning, design and layout. He designed and planted the Lilac 'rooms' in the horticultural garden in the mid-30's.[8][9] He directed the activities of the arboretum superintendent and his maintenance crews and was responsible for the selection of the plants in the horticultural gardens. In 1967, the horticulture gardens were named after him, thereafter known as the Longenecker Horticultural Gardens. He provided vision for the restoration of prairie which later was named the Curtis Prairie. He was referred to as the 'Father of the Arboretum' in the 1960s at the time of his death.[5]

ASLA Involvement edit

Longenecker was a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) in the 1950's and 60's. He contributed to the wider landscape architecture community including involvement with ASLA regional meetings and national committees.

He was involved in the Chicago Chapter of the ASLA, involved with hosting one of the chapter meetings each year in Madison in 1994 and 1955. In 1954, he led a panel discussion titled “Professional Training and Apprenticeship for Landscape Architects," [10] [11]

Longenecker was also a member of the ASLA National Capital Committee in 1956-1959, which served in an advisory role to the planning commission and government entities developing infrastructure in Washington, DC. In 1956, the focus was on how the building of bridges and freeways would impact the surrounding public parks and landscape.[12]

Wisconsin state appointments edit

Longenecker was appointed in February 1932 to confer with the state historical society regard-in preservation of Indian mounds which were being jeopardized or endangered by the re-location of highways.[13]

Wisconsin Governor Knowles appointed Professor Longenecker to be on the State Natural Beauty Committee and also a special advisory committee regarding the design of the landscape along I-94 between Madison and Milwaukee.[14]

Professional involvement in Neilsville, WI edit

Although he had been away from Neilsville for many years, Longenecker was always anxious to help his old hometown in its efforts to create through landscaping things of beauty. He gave assistance to Kurt Listeman in the planning of the Listeman Arboretum there, and undertook the planning and design work for a section of the local arboretum though no work has as yet been done. This is called “the University Section,” and anticipates some formal plantings of unusual trees and shrubbery.[15]

He also assisted in the layout and design of the American Legion Park, with work at Schuster Park and other similar efforts here.

Influence of contemporaries edit

Longenecker collaborated with Aldo Leopold as both were leaders of the UW Arboretum.[16]

Legacy edit

His finest legacy is the large and complete university arboretum. For his service to the “nature laboratory” an entire horticultural area, including lilac and ornamental crab apple areas, was named the G. William Longenecker Gardens.

He also introduced the Autumn Purple White Ash into the professional nursery trade.[17]

References edit

  1. ^ Court, Franklin E. (2012). Pioneers of ecological restoration: the people and legacy of the University of Wisconsin Arboretum. Wisconsin land and life. Madison: The University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 978-0-299-28664-4.
  2. ^ "George Washington Longenecker Obituary from the Clark County Press". Clark County History. May 17, 1951. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  3. ^ Writings of Rose Longenecker, Bill's Mother, during their homesteading and travels, in the Longenecker Family Archives.
  4. ^ From his obituary and various other publications
  5. ^ a b c "Prof. G. William Longenecker, 69, 'Father of Arboretum,' Dies". Wisconsin State Journal. February 1969. pp. 1–2.
  6. ^ a b "History of Landscape Architecture Department" (PDF). Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture, University of Wisconsin-Madison. June 1, 2017. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  7. ^ "Significant Events in the History of the Landscape Architecture Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison" (PDF). dpla.wisc.edu/. June 2017. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  8. ^ "Lilac Collection Celebrates 85 Years by David Stephens, Curator".
  9. ^ Hasselkus, Edward (1984). "The Longenecker Horticultural Gardens". Wisconsin University Library. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  10. ^ ""University of Wisconsin," Landscape Architecture Magazine 45, no. 2". January 1955. JSTOR 44662866. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  11. ^ ""Chapter News," Landscape Architecture Magazine 46, no. 2". January 1956. JSTOR 44659047. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  12. ^ ""National Capital," Landscape Architecture Magazine 46". April 3, 1956. JSTOR 44659009. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  13. ^ Wisconsin state journal Feb 26, 1932
  14. ^ Tishler, William (April 1967). "The 'Wisconsin Idea' Takes a New Turn". Landscape Architecture Magazine 57, no. 3 (April 1967): 232. JSTOR 44681119. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  15. ^ "Obituary of G William Longenecker from Neillsville, WI".
  16. ^ Court, Frank (2014). "Pioneers of Ecological Restoration: The People and the Legacy of the University of Wisconsin Arboretum". Environmental Communication. 8 (3): 409. Bibcode:2014Ecomm...8..409S. doi:10.1080/17524032.2014.885761.
  17. ^ Hasselkus, Edward (1984). "The Longenecker Horticultural Gardens". Wisconsin University Library. Retrieved April 24, 2024.

External links edit

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