Paul Evans Library of Fruit Science
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Fruit Experiment Station Archives
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Outline of the History of the Missouri State Fruit Experiment Station
Compiled by Director James Moore
September, 2004
In his last year as Director of the Station, Dr. Jim Moore compiled an outline of historical events that occured durring the 100+ years of the Station. Dr. Moore has given his permission to mount the outline as a website for the all to share. ---Suzi Teghtmeyer, Librarian
Background for establishment of the Missouri State Fruit Experiment Station:
Ozarks emerges as a major U.S. fruit growing area in last half of 1800s; Mountain Grove, a new town (pop. 2000) in the Ozarks, provides land for new station; diseases ruining fruit crops.
1899
Missouri State Fruit Experiment Station established by legislations signed on April 27 by Governor Stephens.
First experiment station in the US devoted exclusively to fruit.
Mountain Grove selected as location of station on November 15, 1899.
Located on 190 acres of land purchased and given to the state by the citizens of Mountain Grove.
The purpose of the station was to experiment with different varieties of fruit and to study diseases and insect pests and to determine the best remedies for preventing their damage.
1900
John T. Stinson appointed first station director on February 1st.
Stinson had BSc from Iowa Agricultural College.
Came to Mountain Grove from the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station where he was the horticulturalist and in addition was professor of Horticulture at the University of Arkansas.
Experiment station site is cleared.
265 different varieties of apples, peaches, grapes and strawberry plants planted.
The first experiment was carried out on the effectiveness of Bordeaux Mixture for control of the bitter rot fungus on apples.
1901
Administration Building (Faurot Hall) dedicated on June 25.
Director's Residence (Classroom Building) also constructed.
Greenhouse, barns, cottages constructed.
1902
Stinson resigns to become Superintendent of Horticulture at the 1904 World's Exhibition in St. Louis. The saying An apple a day keeps the doctor away. is attributed to Stinson.
The first major extension project was a traveling classroom a railroad car equipped with exhibits and educational materials
Paul Evans becomes director, serves until 1918. Evans was associated with peach production in the Olden area near West Plains.
1903-04
Variety trials include apples, peaches, plums, pears, grapes, and strawberries, with 1,245 different varieties.
Breeding work begins on apples, peaches and strawberries.
Research on disease control continued.
Eight grower publications written.
1905-1906
Plant pathologist hired.
1901-1910
Entomologist hired.
1918
Frederick Faurot became director, serves until 1933. Previously Faurot was the first fruit extension specialist with Missouri Cooperative Extension, stationed in St. Joseph. Faurot's son Don went on to football fame at the University of Missouri.
1919-1920
Grape growing described as new industry in Ozarks.
1920s
Without pathologist or entomologist for five years.
1927-1928
Peach industry practically gone due to insects and neglect.
1930
Field laboratory established at Marionville, center of orchard district in southwest Missouri, to study apple codling moth. Entomologist hired.
1931-1932
Station research projects variety testing, plant breeding, stock and scion research, pruning, spray material tests.
Cooperative work demonstrations and extension work with growers.
1934
Paul Shepard becomes director, serves until his death in 1961.
Shepard introduces 39 new varieties of fruit, including Loring peach released (1946), Ozark Premier plum released (1946), and Bluefre plum (1947).
1963
Kenneth Hanson become director, serves until 1984.
Hanson continues the fruit breeding program and introduces the Ozark Gold apple in 1970, Earliblue plum in 1972, the Topaz peach in 1976, and Challenger grape in 1983.
1967
New assistant horticulturist and entomologist hired.
1968
New administration building, later named Shepard Hall, is completed.
1974
Station becomes part of Missouri State University as the result of the Omnibus State Reorganization Act.
1975
Positions of pomologist and plant pathologist approved. Gerald Brown and James Moore hired as research pomologist and research plant pathologist, respectively.
1979
Fruit Grower Education Program established. Larry Lockshin hired as first grower advisor.
Faurot Hall placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
1980
Renovation of the exterior of Faurot Hall is begun. James Moore becomes Associate Director for research.
1982
Faurot Hall and Shepard Hall named in honor of former directors. Library named in honor of Paul Evans.
1984
James Moore becomes the sixth director of the State Fruit Experiment Station.
1985
Viticulture and enology advisory programs moved from UMC and established at the Station.
Murli Dharmadhikari, Karl Wilker and David Peterson hired as enology advisor, research enologist and viticulture advisor, respectively.
1993
Grape importation program established by Robert Goodman, adjunct professor, with a visiting scientist, Boris Milkus, as virologist.
1994
Research Campus established at the Station.
Department of Fruit Science established.
1996
Coordinating Board for Higher Education approves MS degree in Plant Science as a new program.
Departmental website goes online.
1997
Biotechnology program established. Laszlo Kovacs hired as molecular geneticist.
1998
James Baker becomes first chancellor of Research Campus.
Faurot Hall renovation completed and building dedicated and becomes the symbol of the campus.
1999
Missouri State University State Fruit Experiment Station celebrates 100 years of service with a year of activities.
Missouri State University approves the establishment of the Midwest Viticulture and Enology Center at the Mountain Grove Campus, later renamed Mid-America Viticulture and Enology Center with Murli Dharmadhikari as director.
2000
Virology program established. Wenping Qiu becomes molecular virologist.
Horticulture Demonstration Garden and Arboretum established.
2004
James Moore retires as director and department head.
Innocent Onwueme becomes associate dean of agriculture in the College of Natural and Applied Sciences, head of department and director of Station.
Paul Evans Library of Fruit Science
Missouri State University - Mountain Grove Campus
This page maintained by: webmaster@library.missouristate.edu
