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1889-1912
William Trelease leads the Garden as its Director.


Dr. William Trelease in office at typewriter. Interior of Tower Grove House in 1889.

Under the Directorship of Dr. William Trelease, the Garden would make great strides as a botanical research institution. The library and the herbarium grew, as did the School of Botany. New and energetic people were hired in every area of the Garden, including the future director, Dr. George E. Moore. Trelease’s directorship was very successful in building up the scientific facilities and reputation of the Garden. Trelease, however, had some conflicts with the Board of Trustees, who were more interested in the Garden as a pleasure garden. At one point, a trustee made the statement to Trelease that what was wanted was "more garden and less science." The tensions between Trelease and the Trustees increased over time. In 1912, Trelease resigned his position of Director and accepted a faculty position at the University of Illinois, where he remained for the remainder of his long career.

 

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