# 1764-67 - 1978 15c American Trees
1978 15¢ American Trees
City: Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
Quantity: 168,136,000
First Arbor Day Is Celebrated
The man that founded Arbor Day, Julius Sterling Morton, was born on April 22, 1832, in Adams, New York. His family later moved to Michigan, where he attended college.
In 1854, Morton and his wife moved to Nebraska, which was not yet a territory. Staking a claim in Nebraska City, he soon took a job as editor of the local paper, the Nebraska City News. During this time he also briefly served in the Nebraska Territorial House of Representatives. In 1858, Morton was made Secretary of the Nebraska Territory by President James Buchanan and later the Acting Governor.
Morton used his role as newspaper editor to share agricultural information with his readers, increasing local enthusiasm for trees. Soon, Morton began advocating planting more trees. He believed it would benefit both the landscape and economy. He began by planting orchards, shade trees, and windbreaks (rows of trees to protect from wind and soil erosion) on his own farm, and encouraged his neighbors to do the same.
While the people of Nebraska continued to celebrate Arbor Day, it wasn’t until 1885 that it became a legal holiday in the state. That year they also moved it to April 22, Morton’s birthday. The celebration that year was the largest one yet. About 1,000 Nebraska City school children planted several trees and then marched in a parade to the city’s opera house. They were joined along the way by townspeople, filling the city’s streets.
Over time, other states, and even countries, began celebrating Arbor Day, though now it is usually held on the last Friday in April. The National Arbor Day Foundation was founded on the 100th anniversary of that first planting, and has since planted over 200 million trees.
1978 15¢ American Trees
City: Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
Quantity: 168,136,000
First Arbor Day Is Celebrated
The man that founded Arbor Day, Julius Sterling Morton, was born on April 22, 1832, in Adams, New York. His family later moved to Michigan, where he attended college.
In 1854, Morton and his wife moved to Nebraska, which was not yet a territory. Staking a claim in Nebraska City, he soon took a job as editor of the local paper, the Nebraska City News. During this time he also briefly served in the Nebraska Territorial House of Representatives. In 1858, Morton was made Secretary of the Nebraska Territory by President James Buchanan and later the Acting Governor.
Morton used his role as newspaper editor to share agricultural information with his readers, increasing local enthusiasm for trees. Soon, Morton began advocating planting more trees. He believed it would benefit both the landscape and economy. He began by planting orchards, shade trees, and windbreaks (rows of trees to protect from wind and soil erosion) on his own farm, and encouraged his neighbors to do the same.
While the people of Nebraska continued to celebrate Arbor Day, it wasn’t until 1885 that it became a legal holiday in the state. That year they also moved it to April 22, Morton’s birthday. The celebration that year was the largest one yet. About 1,000 Nebraska City school children planted several trees and then marched in a parade to the city’s opera house. They were joined along the way by townspeople, filling the city’s streets.
Over time, other states, and even countries, began celebrating Arbor Day, though now it is usually held on the last Friday in April. The National Arbor Day Foundation was founded on the 100th anniversary of that first planting, and has since planted over 200 million trees.