Despite the intentions of the 1836 Wisconsin territorial legislature in authorizing a University of Wisconsin, 13 years passed before the university actually got underway, and another 40 years passed before an official Department of Horticulture was created.

The horticulture Department, one of the original four College of Agriculture departments, was born in April 1889 with the appointment of Emmett S. Goff as a professor. For several years Goff worked alone. Frederick Cranefield, one of his students, later assisted him and went on to become Wisconsin State Horticultural Society secretary. At that time, it was a combined Department of Botany and Horticulture. The department was housed in King Hall on Observatory Drive until 1911.

Department faculty has grown from one in 1889 to 20 today. Growth was steady from 1905 to 1965. In the first 100 years, the department has employed a total of 90 faculty members.

Notable Achievements:

James Johnson developed methods of separating and characterizing viruses into distinct entities on the basis of their tolerance to heat, dilution, aging, and host reactions.

Ray Roberts demonstrated the relationship between vegetative growth and flower bud formation in sour cherries.

O. B. Combs' research resulted in the introduction of tomato, pepper, edible soybean, and eggplant cultivars, and a cooperative program on the freezing and preservation of vegetables.

Emeritus Professors:

* E. S. Goff 1889-1902
* E. P. Sandsten 1902-1909
* J. G. Moore 1909-1949
* O. B. Combs 1949-1965
* W. H. Gabelman 1965-1973
* M. N. Dana 1973-1978
* R. L. Lower 1978-1984
* J. A. Schoenemann 1984-1985
* H. J. Hopen 1985-1991
* L. K. Binning 1991-2001
* D. P. Stimart 2001-2008
* J. C. Stier 2008 - Present

The Horticulture Department has had twelve chairmen during its 112 year history:

* Gail E. Beck
* Louis M. Berninger
* Warren H. Gabelman
* Edward R. Hasselkus
* Herbert J. Hopen
* George C. Klingbeil
* Lloyd L. Peterson
* John A. Schoenemann
* Elden J. Stang
* Theodore W. Tibbitts
* Larry K. Binning
* Richard L. Lower
* Helen Harrison