High Plains Arboretum

Decades after the Homestead Act, many settlers had tried and failed to establish roots in the high plains of Wyoming. Altitude, wind, dry conditions, and lack of winter snow cover desiccated plants, making it especially hard for trees to survive. In 1929, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) constructed a field station to research plants that could tolerate Cheyenne's harsh climate. From 1930 to 1974, many varieties of small fruits, vegetables, shrubs, and trees were tested. Plants from ...