Dawes Arboretum

1,800-acre arboretum with one of the world's largest hedge letter inscriptions — 1,367 cedars spelling its name

The Dawes Arboretum, about five miles south of downtown Newark, covers 1,800 acres with themed gardens, woodland trails, a Japanese garden, a bonsai collection, a cypress swamp, and a four-mile driving tour through the full property. The arboretum was founded by Beman Dawes in the 1920s on farmland his family had owned, and it has grown into one of the better regional arboreta in the Midwest.

The most famous feature is the hedge letters: 1,367 northern white cedars spelling out "DAWES ARBORETUM" in letters 145 feet tall. Walking along the hedge gives no sense of its scale; the full design is only visible from the air or in photographs taken from an elevated position. The arboretum is freely accessible year-round; a visitor centre near the entrance provides maps and information.

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The hedge letters at Dawes Arboretum were first planted in 1942, spelling only "DAWES" in northern white cedars. The decision to add "ARBORETUM" came decades later, requiring a new planting of hundreds of additional trees. The full inscription extends over 2,040 feet and is only fully legible from the air — visitors on the ground see a tall, dense hedge and have to take the aerial photograph's word for it.

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