History
First Massachusetts Agricultural College class
1862 -- 'Land Grant Act' signed by President Abraham Lincoln
1864 -- Purchase of land for college site which in part (73 acres) formed 'Durfee holdings'
1867 -- Durfee Plant House constructed
1875 -- Durfee experiment to measure surface pressure of a chili squash received world-wide attention
1878 -- First sale catalog of plants issued by Durfee
1883 -- Original Durfee buildings seriously damaged by fire
1890 -- Durfee received donated Japanese maples from Mount Fuji
1892 -- Renovations to conservatory complete
1893 -- Two thousand-pound century plant (Agave Americana varigata) blossomed
1934 -- Part of Harvard plant collection donated to Durfee
1938 -- Oak tree downed in hurricane; one entire house was destroyed, and a steady decline and general state of disrepair followed
1954 -- New conservatory building constructed
1978 -- All-American Display Garden designation assigned
1980 -- Horticultural therapy program instituted
1990 -- The Friends of Durfee formed
1992 -- History of Durfee Conservatory published for 125th Anniversary
1993 -- Phase I of Durfee Gardens Project constructed
