Dr. J.C. Raulston will be inducted posthumously into the Raleigh Hall of Fame on October 3, 2016 in downtown Raleigh.
Dr. Raulston encouraged his students, colleagues and friends to “plan and plant for a better world.” He did just that himself when he founded an arboretum in 1976 as a faculty member of NC State University’s Department of Horticulture Science. The arboretum began as a teaching and research facility. Today, the ten-acre research garden, now named for JC who died in 1996, is enjoyed and used by students, green industry professionals and visitors from around the world. The JC Raulston Arboretum, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is visited by over 100,000 people yearly and is a vital part of the Raleigh community. In addition to touring the grounds, visitors can participate in a variety of events ranging from educational seminars to fun events for the family. JC’s legacy can also be found throughout the city–he willed funds from his estate for the city’s park system to plant flowering trees for twenty years.
- Story by Raleigh Hall of Fame