CHICAGO – How can you help make trees thrive in an urban landscape like Chicago? Find out March 26 when an expert from the Morton Arboretum speaks at the Pullman State Historic Site.
The free event with Lydia Scott, director of the Chicago Region Trees Initiative, takes place at 2 p.m. at the historic site’s Hotel Florence, 11111 Forrestville Ave., Chicago.
“In urban, developed settings like Chicago and our suburbs, the trees that live alongside us face different challenges than trees living in the wild,” Scott said. “Trees are vital to the health and future of our cities, yet they need human intervention to help them thrive.
Her appearance is organized by the Historic Pullman Garden Club, which will provide refreshments and door prizes. For more information, visit
www.hpgc.org.
The Historic Pullman Garden Club was established in 1991 to beautify the community and fulfill Chicago’s motto of “urbs in horto” – city in a garden. It maintains gardens at local parks and the Pullman State Historic Site’s Hotel Florence. It also holds special events, lectures and monthly meetings.
The Pullman neighborhood, including the part operated by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, was declared a national monument because of its significance in civil rights, the labor movement and urban planning.
It began in 1880 as company-owned housing for workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company, the first planned community of its kind.
The Pullman company was the target of a historic, nationwide strike in 1894. It also contributed to African-American history by employing porters who organized a union and supported the civil rights movement.
The Hotel Florence and part of the Pullman factory are operated by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. IHPA protects the state’s historic resources, which contribute to education, culture and the economy. IHPA sites include ancient burial mounds, forts and buildings erected by settlers, and homes connected to famous Illinoisans.
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