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| NATHAN RUFFER/Daily
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"I came to a fork in the road and I took the path less traveled. And it made all the difference."
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| NATHAN RUFFER/Daily A multitude of tall and lush trees isn't all Nichols Arboretum has to offer. Any time of year it's a great place to hang out, study, or just soak in some nature. |
All poets are said to have an inspiration from which they write their poems. Robert Frost is no exception. His "The Road Not Taken" is rumored to have sprung from the poet's fascination with one of Ann Arbor's very own attributes. It could very well be that Frost, himself an Ann Arbor resident during the 1920's, wrote these few lines remembering the simple beauty and utmost calm found within a secluded place affectionately called by locals and student: the Arb.
Short for the Nichols Arboretum, the Arb is a 123-acre park that stretches across one side of campus. Its two entrances, Washington Heights by Mary Markley Residence Hall and Geddes Street, envelop sections designated according to their unique qualities. Whether in the Peony Garden, Appalachian Glen, or Main Valley, something distinct is to be found. Within this vast space are hiking and jogging trails, gardens of flowers, shady spots boasting a collection of plants, benches from which to see a stretch of the Huron River and various types of native vegetation.
Most people come to the Arb to jog, stroll, spend time with friends, picnic or walk in undisturbed nature, simply observing the ecological slice of Ann Arbor.
The origin of the Arb explains much about its elevation and range in heights. A long time ago, a glacier melted, leaving behind a series of sharp inclines and gradual drops that now form the trails and rolling hills of the Arb. On the trails a jogger can scale; on the hills a person can sled, if discreet enough. To avoid the park's prohibition of sledding can be hard to do, though, when sitting at the top of snow-covered hills and whooshing down while riding on cafeteria trays with free-wheeling energy and release is so appealing.
While each part of the Arb prides a particular aspect of nature, the most intriguing spots of the park are ones that carry a significant piece of history behind it. The Peony Garden, arranged in neat rectangular sections on flat land, contains the oldest peony collection in the country.
Each magnolia tree growing near the Appalachian Glen, located near the Peony Garden in the heart of the Arb, was planted by volunteers in memory of infants who died at birth in the University hospital.
The rapids that flow along the stretch of river were the result of one man's shrine in dedication to a lost life. Rumor has it that, winters ago, two little girls were playing on the frozen river when one fell through the ice and died. A man living nearby knew of this incident and arranged the rocks around the water where the girl slipped in. Looked at from a broad enough perspective, the rocks form a heart shape.
According to legend, the memorial is meant to represent the heart of Jesus. On the side of a nearby dumpster is graffiti whose creator seems to have heard the old story. The artist's single message? Pray.
In the Appalachian Glen, rhododendron and sassafras root thrive on its moist soil. Woodpeckers, bats and even nocturnal flying squirrels make their homes.
Jim Lempke, SNRE student and caretaker of the Arb, says the Glen is one of his favorite spots of the park, since it remains so isolated from the noise of the city.
Lempke has a personal attachment to the Arb not only because of his constant exposure to it but because of the spiritual uplift he receives from the park. "My imagination goes wild in the Arb," he said.
Students share the belief that the Arb is a place that clears their heads and allows for deep thought.
"The Arb really gets your creative juices flowing," LSA sophomore Matthew Schwartz said.
Although he has seen many people come and go through the Arb, Lempke knows there are still many residents out there who are unaware of the Arb's unique charm, and even of its existence. "People have been in Ann Arbor for four, five or 10 years," he said, "And still don't know its nooks and crannies."
Although the Arb is a quiet place where students feel safe, it's secluded location can pose unexpected threats.
Lempke said that students should either travel with a companion past sunset or not go at all at that time. The Arb is closed from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. There are several emergency call phones located around the trails.
School of Social Work student Pam Deter comes to the Arb to walk since it's so close to her home. She said she feels comfortable while there.
"The Arb just seems safe," she said.
The Arb exudes a quiet and peaceful calm uncharacteristic of the hustle of university life and the daily confusions of life. It offers a haven of solitude and serenity which is a chance for "finding yourself and finding out what you want to do next," Lempke said.
From the mulch pathway leading from the Peony Garden at the Washington Heights entrance to the canopy forest trail that follows it to the subtle fall colors beginning to appear on the leaves of the trees surrounding the river to the sounds of the footsteps of joggers, the Arb is a place like none other in Ann Arbor.
Frost couldn't have put it any better when he referred to a "road not taken." The Arb is definitely worth taking a short trip to explore its grandeur.
10-08-98
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