Arnold Arboretum. Records of Post Office Square 1989-1992: A Finding Aid

Processed by Lisa Pearson

These records were created by the Arnold Arboretum in consultation with the Post Office Square Redevelopment Corporation. The HOLLIS # for this collection is 009140078 and the file name is ajp00025.

Researchers seeking to examine archival materials are strongly encouraged to make an appointment. The Director, or an office of origin, may place restrictions on the use of some or all of its records. The extent and length of the restriction will be determined by the Director, office of origin, and the Archivist and will be enforced equally for all researchers.

The copyright is held by The President and Fellows of Harvard College for the Arnold Arboretum Archives of Harvard University. The copyright on some materials in the collection may be held by the original author or the author's heirs or assigns. Researchers are responsible for obtaining written permission from the holder(s) of copyright and the Arnold Arboretum Archives prior to publishing any quotations or images from materials in this collection.

Photocopies may be made at the discretion of the Arnold Arboretum Archives staff. Permission to make photocopies does not constitute permission to reproduce or publish materials outside the bounds of the fair use guidelines.

Post Office Square was created to provide a 1400 space parking garage as well as a 1.7 acre park in the heart of the Boston's financial district. The park was conceived as a kind of small arboretum featuring over 125 species of plants in the city's densest urban area. In 1989, Robert Cook, the Director of the Arnold Arboretum began working with the Friends of Post Office Square to help create the park. In 1990, an Agreement was signed between the President and Fellows of Harvard College, on behalf of its Arnold Arboretum and the Post Office Square Redevelopment Corporation that enabled the Arboretum to place "on permanent loan" six large trees from its Living Collection: Picea abies (a Norway spruce); Quercus - a hybrid (a hybrid red oak of unknown parentage); Betula davurica (Davurian birch); Thuja occidentalis, (Eastern arborvitae); and two Thuja plicata (Western arborvitae). Included in the plantings at the Park at Post Office Square were several plants first introduced by the Arnold Arboretum, the 'Arnold Promise' witch hazel, Sargent crabapple, climbing hydrangea, hardy kiwi vine and Chinese fleece vine. The Park at Post Office Square is maintained by the Friends of Post Office Square and funded by profits from the garage development. The Arnold Arboretum consults regularly on the care of the loaned trees. As of 2003, only one of the large trees remain.

The bulk of the materials consist of photographs relating to the Park at Post Office Square project, including photographs of the loaned trees in situ at the Arnold Arboretum, photographs of the trees being moved, and photographs of the trees being transplanted at Post Office Square. In addition there is a folder of correspondence, a PR kit, news clippings, and maps of the plantings.

Correspondents include:Cook, Robert; Del Tredici, Peter; Halvorson, Craig; Hanss, Bob; Russel, Jerome A.; Koller, Gary; Leventhal, Norman; Pierce, Marianna C.; Rattigan, John E.; and Weinberg, Robert M.

These records are arranged into the following series:

Series I: Correspondence and Public Relations Papers

Series II: Photographs

Arnold Arboretum. Records of Post Office Square 1989-1992: A Finding Aid

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