Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Arboretum

{{short description|Park in Nebraska, USA}}

{{about|the park in Nebraska City||Arbor Lodge (disambiguation)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox protected area

| name = Arbor Lodge State Historical Park

| iucn_category =

| photo = Arbor Lodge 2008 3.jpg

| photo_caption =

| map = USA Nebraska

| map_caption = Location in Nebraska

| relief = 1

| location = Nebraska City, Nebraska, United States

| coordinates = {{coord|40|40|53|N|95|52|49|W|display=inline,title}}

| coords_ref =

| area_acre = 73.85

| area_ref =

| elevation = {{convert|1066|ft|m|abbr=on}}{{cite gnis|1832114|Arbor Lodge State Historical Park}}

| established = 1923

| visitation_num =

| visitation_year =

| visitation_ref =

| administrator = Arbor Day Foundation

| website = [http://outdoornebraska.gov/arborlodge/ Smith Falls State Park]

{{Infobox NRHP

| embed = yes

| name = Arbor Lodge

| nrhp_type = nhl

| image = Arbor Lodge.jpg

| caption = The front of Arbor Lodge.

| location = 2600 Arbor Ave., Nebraska City, Nebraska

| area = {{convert|72|acre|ha}}

| built = {{start date|1855}}

| architect = House: Jarvis Hunt
Grounds: Frederick Law Olmsted

| architecture = Colonial Revival

| designated_nrhp_type = May 15, 1975

| added = April 16, 1969

| refnum = 69000135

}}

| embedded =

}}

Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Arboretum is a mansion and arboretum located at 2600 Arbor Avenue, Nebraska City, Nebraska, United States. The park is a National Historic Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1969.

The 52-room neo-colonial house began in 1855 for J. Sterling Morton, originator of Arbor Day and Secretary of Agriculture in the 1890s under President Grover Cleveland. The house was originally a modest 4-room frame structure on {{convert|160|acre|ha}}. It was extended several times, most recently in 1903, and in later years served as the summer home for his son Joy Morton, founder of Morton Salt Company. The mansion features Victorian and Empire furnishings, many of which were owned by the Mortons. Its sun parlor contains a fine Tiffany skylight with grape trellis design.

Trees were a central interest of J. Sterling Morton. He imported trees from all over the country in order to test their suitability to create windbreaks and otherwise break up the monotony of the great plains. The house is surrounded by 270 varieties of trees and shrubs, including gardens, apple orchards, and acres of oaks, maples, chestnuts, and pines, including at least 10 state-champion trees. Specimen trees are typically labeled with engraved bronze plates. Over the years, many of Arbor Lodge's apple orchards were demolished, but in the 1990s their restoration began with plantings of winesaps, golden delicious, red delicious, jonathans, and jonadels.

Image:Wiki photos 133.jpg|The Tiffany skylight in the sun parlor.

Image:Wiki photos 134a.jpg|Pathway in the rose garden on the south side of the mansion.