Finding Aid for Leon Deming Tilton Papers, 1915, 1919, 1939-1949 | University of Illinois Archives

Title: Leon Deming Tilton Papers, 1915, 1919, 1939-1949

ID: 37/2/22

Primary Creator: Leon Deming Tilton (1890-1949)

Extent: 1.3 cubic feet

Date Acquired: 06/08/2013

Subjects: California, Campus Planning, City Planning and Landscape Architecture Department, Highways, Housing, Landscape Gardening, University of California, Urban and Regional Planning Department, Urban Planning

Languages: English

Personal papers of Leon Deming Tilton (1890-1949), B.S. Landscape Gardening (1915); Landscape Architect (1919), Assistant in Landscape Gardening (1917), Assistant in Landscape Extension (1916); contains correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, publications, notices of lectures; including a personal copy of The History of the Growth and Development of the Campus of the University of Illinois (1919) written by Tilton and a group photograph of the Regional Plan of New York planners (1925). Watercolor painting acquired April 2026 from Anton Endress.

California
Campus Planning
City Planning and Landscape Architecture Department
Highways
Housing
Landscape Gardening
University of California
Urban and Regional Planning Department
Urban Planning

Repository: University of Illinois Archives

Other Note:

Notes from Anton Endress, donor of the watercolor painting made by Tilton in 1915. The journey of this work of art is also relevant to campus history in the 1990s. In the late 1980's there was significant change in the College of Agriculture and its Department of Horticulture. The Horticulture Field Laboratory, once fully occupied by Horticulture faculty and staff, was being repurposed. Some of the Horticulture folks were being relocated from the Hort Field Lab, Vegetable Crops Building, and Ornamental Horticulture building to the newly completed Plant Science Laboratory and the soon-to-be completed ER Madigan Laboratory. I was the newly hired Head of the Department of Horticulture in 1990. I came across the Tilton painting in a pile of items that was being considered for disposal. I culled the painting from the pile and had it reframed by Rob DeLong, a well-known Champaign framer. The painting was hung in the Department office.

The Department of Horticulture faculty tended the All American Trial gardens for several years. Located south of the President's home and east of Lincoln Avenue. And the researchers in the Illinois Natural History Survey's Section of Botany and Plant Pathology conducted tree disease research further south at the corner of Lincoln and Windsor. I was Head of the Section of Botany and Plant Pathology before joining the University. One of my responsibilities while at INHS was to serve on the University's Arboretum Committee, which was co-chaired by Professor Terry Harkness (LA) and Bill Nelson (Hort). After I became Head of Horticulture, the committee approached Chancellor Weir to establish a University Arboretum. He agreed to do so with funding from the Miles Hartley account and some additional funding committed by President Ikenberry from his funds. Effectively the Arboretum became part of my portfolio, sort of a semi-official Founding Arboretum Director.

URL: https://files.archon.library.illinois.edu/uasfa/3702022.pdf

PDF finding aid for Leon Deming Tilton Papers (37/2/22)