Longview Arboretum helps THE community
DEVELOP A love OF
NESTLED among trees, the Longview Arboretum and Nature Center is an outdoor sanctuary that invites guests to relax, rejuvenate and reconnect with nature in the heart of the city.
The Longview Arboretum and Nature Center, which opened in 2019, is the home to unique plants, walking trails, a pond, a fountain, pavilions, a covered gazebo and many more features. It is located between the Longview Convention Complex and Grace Creek tributary.
“We want people to come here to connect with nature,” said Steven Chamblee, who serves as executive director of the Longview Arboretum and Nature Center. On any given day at the arboretum, people can be found walking the trails while observing plants. The arboretum is home to unique plants, including a collection from Southern Living.
“We want people to come here to connect with nature,” said Steven Chamblee, who serves as executive director of the Longview Arboretum and Nature Center. On any given day at the arboretum, people can be found walking the trails while observing plants. The arboretum is home to unique plants, including a collection from Southern Living.
I have people tell me they feel safe, they feel peaceful, they feel relaxed and they feel like they’ve escaped the problems of the world.
Children can often be seen posing for pictures in what is lovingly referred to as the “Big Blue Chair” or posing with butterflies that feature a cutout for the face.
“A primary aspect of the arboretum’s mission is to educate the community and help individuals develop a positive relationship with nature,” Chamblee said. Part of that mission includes making nature fun for children and providing an environment in which people feel safe.
“I have people tell me they feel safe, they feel peaceful, they feel relaxed and they feel like they’ve escaped the problems of the world,” Chamblee said. “It doesn’t get much better than that.”
The Longview Arboretum and Nature Center, which is located at 706 West Cotton Street, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and from noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission is free for arboretum members and $5 to the general public. Admission is $3 for seniors 65 and older or those in the military; it is free for children 3 and under.
