Parks

-Taylor Park

-Taylor Tourist Park

-Harrop Park

Arboretum

-Taylor Community Arboretum Project

-Dedicate a Tree

-Current Dedications

 

 

Parks

Taylor Park

The Taylor Park makes up the central village square and is easily recognizable by the many mature Cottonwoods as well as a large variety of other trees that provide ample shade and beauty. The Taylor Park was recently added to the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum registry as part of the Taylor Community Arboretum.

 

The park boasts a gazebo, modern playground equipment, two picnic shelters, public restroom facilities, running water, and ample space for picnics, reunions, children's activities or just quiet relaxation.

 

The main shelter has outlets located in a central brick structure and a charcoal grill right to the northeast.

 

 

 

Taylor Tourist Park

The Taylor Tourist Park is located on Hwy 91 in Taylor and is ready to serve your RV parking and tenting needs. Besides six full RV hook-ups, the park has playground equipment, horseshoe pits, a large basketball court, and lovely shaded green space.

For more info call 308-942-6199.

Harrop Park

Harrop Park is located 18 miles North of Taylor on Hwy 183. Native flora abounds on the informative nature walk. A picnic shelter, windmill and restrooms make this an attractive place to stretch your legs while taking in the vast beauty of the Sandhills. A Nebraska Historical Marker on site tells the fascinating story of how "Harrop" came to be.

 

Arboretum

Taylor Community Arboretum Project

In the summer of 2009, the Taylor Arboretum committee reformed after nearly 20 years. This organization worked toward improvement of the Taylor Village Park circa 1990. Caring individuals thought that the park again needed some extra attention, not only in beautification but for safety reasons as well.

The Taylor Community Arboretum (TCA) applied for and received a 2009 Trees for Nebraska Towns grant, part of the Retree Nebraska Initiative, from the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum (NSA). Justin Evertson, NSA director, and Bob Henrickson, NSA staff member, came to Taylor to meet with the committee. From that meeting, NSA officials suggested to not only target the village park in the effort but make it a community-wide arboretum including the Tourist Park, Visitor Center, public library, Historical Pavillion Hotel, and museum as well as the Taylor Park. Being a part of the statewide arboretum initiative, Taylor is now included on the Arboretum register which helps encourage more visitors to the area.

By the end of 2010 six "condemned trees" had been removed, a new sign proclaiming Taylor as an Arboretum and the "Home of the Taylor Juniper" had been installed with native plants surrounding the base, and over fifty trees had been planted with plaques installed next to them containing their common and scientific names (and any dedication information). Also a new "Welcome to Taylor" sign was installed at the entrance of the community near the junction of highways 183 and 91 surrounded by Taylor Junipers and native plants.

In December of 2010, the Taylor Community Arboretum received an additional $2,500 for the project. With these funds the committee installed the "commemorative brick" flower bed around the Arboretum sign. The additional grant money was also used to purchase 100 small Taylor Junipers that were sold to area residents and planted at various locations around the community including the high school. This "Baby Juniper Project" helped to spread not only the Taylor Juniper, but also expand the Community Arboretum all across the county and surrounding areas.


The Retree Nebraska Initiative is a matching grant, so community support is vital. No village or county funds or taxes may be used to fund the Taylor effort.

Supporters may dedicate a tree for $100. This includes a small plaque (see right) with your name or your designated honoree's name plus the tree information.

To dedicate a tree please print this form:

Tree Dedication Application

Return the completed form along with a check to Terry DeGroff's office located in the Management Informations System building on the square in Burwell. You can also mail the completed form and check to Terry DeGroff (see application for details).

At this time, members of the Taylor Community Arboretum include
Colt Kraus, Loren Sandoz, Jean Harden, Tom & Sue McNeil, Shirley Armbruster, Ken Sheets, Amy Ritchie, Jolene Skalsky, Cindy Dunbar, and Dick Brown.

Current Tree Dedications

Tribute	Tree	Donor	Location
A Gift from C.J. Brown	Amur Maple	Christopher Brown	Northwest corner of park
A Gift from Union Bank & Trust-Taylor Branch	Black Hills Spruce	Union Bank & Trust Taylor Branh	West of tire swing in park
In Memory of Rolland John Ralls	Chinkapin Oak	Brenda Kettleborough and Family	West of tornado slide in park
In Memory of Jacob Peter Ralls	Discovery Elm	Brenda Kettleborough and Family	West of playground equipment in park
In Memory of James John Ralls	Discovery Elm	Brenda Kettleborough and Family	West of playground equipment in park
A Gift from Harry & Terese Lech	Honeylocust	Harry and Terese Lech	Northwest corner of park
A Gift from Bernard & Karole Strohl	Sugar Maple	Bernard & Karole Strohl	Northwest corner of park
A Gift from Taylor Lions Club	Ohio Buckeye	Taylor Lions Club	South of large shelter in park
In Memory of Bill & Hilma Strong (Mr. & Mrs. Almeria)	Northern Red Oak	Lynn and Barb Strong	Northwest of arboretum sign in park
In Memory of Son and Colene Kraus (Tracy, Cindy, Dixie)	Freeman Maple	Tracy and Suzanne Kraus	North of small shelter in park
D.D. Eisenhower to Honor all World War II Veterans May 28, 2001 VFW Post 6159	Green Ash	VFW Post 6159	East of bell tower in park
A Gift from Richard and Michaela Brown	Ornamental Pear	Richard Brown	South of gazebo in park
Dedicated to the Celebration of Trees	Thornless Cockspur Hawthorne	Shirley Armbruster	North of arboretum sign in park
In Memory of Allen Wilke	Bur Oak	Wilke Landscaping	Southwest corner of park
In Memory of Mr. Brown Historian, Teacher, Coach, and Friend	Taylor Juniper	Lilly Walford, Trysta Gruber, Jenny Foster, Lisa Herbert, Billy Dunbar, Colt Kraus	East of Log Cabin Museum
A Gift from Faller Landscape & Nursery	Prairie Gold Quaking Aspen	Faller Landscape & Nursery	North of arboretum sign in park
In tribute to the Bromwich-Fay families	Hackberry	Ava Hastert	South of playground equipment
In tribute to the Cram-Cooley families	Ohio Buckeye	Ava Hastert	South of playground equipment
In Memory of John and Maude Parkin	Frontyard Linden	Wayne and Dorothy Sweley	East of small shelter in park
In Memory of Britton Peters - A Believer in Trees	Ponderosa Pine	Gerald and Joan Ferguson	Northwest of gazebo in park
The Family of Francis & MaryEllen (Cherry) Britton	Prairie Fire Crabapple	Gerald and Joan Ferguson	North of large shelter in the park
In Memory of Irene Garska	Frontier Elm	Morgan Family	East of playground equipment in park
In Memory of Colleen Cone	Mighty Moe Cottonwood	Morgan Family	North of playground equipment in park