Above : The Bushrod Wofford house , donated by the Cain family , was moved from the ancestral property in Fincastle to the arboretum .
By Jennifer Browning
6 | Greater Athens Magazine | October 2022
Imagine the crisp , fall air greeting your face as your feet stroll down winding pathways of native wildflower meadows and bounties of indigenous flora greeting your nose as you enter the sanctuary of serene surroundings … all while never leaving Athens .
The East Texas Arboretum and Botanical Society has been a local escape for over 25 years and it ’ s been even longer since the early talks of an arboretum began . Currently , the ETABS boasts over 100 acres that include over two miles of winding trails , historical buildings , children ’ s garden with water feature and playhouses , a beehive , and more .
Although the 100 acres was a lot to purchase all at once almost 30 years ago , the Arboretum Board knew that they needed to go big since the Dallas Arboretum quickly outgrew its original site and at a later date , with great expense , had to purchase more acreage .
The ETABS started in 1990 when a small group of ladies , affiliated with the Henderson County Garden Club , got together and discussed the possibility of an arboretum . The effort was spearheaded by Lois Magness who moved to Athens from Dallas where she had worked as a volunteer at the Dallas Arboretum . As the president of the