Coker Arboretum
Coker Arboretum, fondly known by many as a quiet haven in the middle of the busy University of North Carolina campus, is the heart of one of the most beautiful campuses in the nation. Managed by the North Carolina Botanical Garden, it is one of the Garden's oldest tracts.
Directions to the Arboretum
Coker Arboretum is located next to the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center on the UNC campus.
From I-40 West (coming from Raleigh, Durham, points east):
Take Exit 273b and merge onto Highway 54. After two miles, Hwy. 54 becomes Raleigh Road. After another mile, turn right onto Country Club Road. The Arboretum is located at the corner of Country Club Road and Raleigh Street.
From US 15-501/Hwy 54 Bypass (Fordham Boulevard W) (coming from Carrboro, Farrington, points south and west):
At the intersection of Fordham Boulevard and Highway 86, drive north onto NC-86 toward Purefoy Road. NC-86 becomes Columbia Street. In a little more than a mile, turn right onto Cameron Avenue. The Arboretum is located at the corner of Cameron Avenue and Raleigh Street.
From Highway 86 South/I-40 East (Durham, Greensboro, points north and west):
Take I-40 East to US 15-501. Follow the signs toward the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill. When the highway splits, take the left road toward UNC-Chapel Hill (not Franklin Street). After a mile, exit onto Highway 54/Raleigh Road heading west. From Highway 54, turn right onto Country Club Road. The Arboretum is located at the corner of Country Club Road and Raleigh Street. Metered parking for the Arboretum is available on Raleigh Street. There are some visitors’ spaces in the Morehead Planetarium paid parking lot (from Raleigh Street, going north away from Cameron Avenue, turn left onto Franklin Street and the lot is on the left). If no spaces are available in these areas, there is metered parking available on Franklin Street and there are paid parking lots along Rosemary Street (from Raleigh Street, going north away from Cameron Avenue, go past Franklin Street and turn left onto Rosemary Street).
Visiting the Coker Arboretum
The Arboretum is open dawn to dusk daily, year-round.
You may wish to download a map of Coker Arboretum [PDF] to find your way around. The UNC website also shows the location of the Coker Arboretum in relationship to the campus.
Visitors to the Arboretum can also refer to interpretive brochures, stored in marked storage boxes at several locations, to guide their walks through this historic site.
Parents and teachers can download the Kid's Scavenger Hunt worksheet [PDF] to provide an exciting pedagogical activity.
Volunteers are always needed to keep the Coker Arboretum running. Please refer to our Become a Volunteer section for more information.
History
In 1903, Dr. William Chambers Coker, the University's first Professor of Botany and the first chair of the University Buildings and Grounds Committee, began developing a five-acre boggy pasture into an outdoor University classroom for the study of trees, shrubs, and vines native to North Carolina. Beginning in the 1920s and continuing through the 1940s, Dr. Coker added many East Asian trees and shrubs. These species, closely related counterparts to many North Carolina native plants, enhanced the beauty and educational value of the Arboretum. Today the collection consists of a wide variety of plantings including flowering trees and shrubs as well as bulb and perennial displays. The Arboretum has something unique to offer during every season of the year.
In April of 2003, the Arboretum celebrated its 100th Anniversary with exhibits and activities all over the University's campus and Chapel Hill. Part of the celebration was the production of an art book, A Haven in the Heart of Chapel Hill: Artists Celebrate the Coker Arboretum, which depicts the scenes and specimens as though one were on a walking tour of this special garden (see sidebar). The book makes a wonderful gift for anyone acquainted with the Arboretum, and the proceeds of its sale go toward ensuring the garden's care in the future.
Coker Arboretum is a popular site for wedding ceremonies and celebrations.
Become a Friend of Coker Arboretum
If you're interested in supporting the Coker Arboretum through a donation or endowment, download the Friends of Coker Arboretum form [PDF] and mail it to us.
Last updated by Laura Cotterman on July 03, 2008 at 03:50:52 pm.
