50th Anniversary

As we celebrate our 50th Anniversary (1952-2002), it is very important for us to reflect on the past. The roots of Dickinson Garden Center go even deeper than 1952 – actually 1932. This was the year that George Dickinson, Jr. came to Chapel Hill as a student in botany and an employee at UNC. His work/study program allowed him to study under Dr. Totten and Dr. Coker and also take over the responsibilities of grounds & maintenance supervision. The job of “tree surgeon” was his primary area of interest. Prior training with the Davie Tree Company and his work for company locations in Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia had amassed for him tremendous experience in the field. Many a student and professor witnessed his agility in scrambling up and down and from tree to tree which even included our university landmark, “Davie Poplar”. In very short time the nickname “Squirrel” would be heard across campus as individuals affectionately called out his name. His work and study would continue through the thirties and he married Hazel Sawyer. Hazel had completed secretarial school at UNC – Greensboro (formally Women’s College of Greensboro) and had come to Chapel Hill to be closer to her brother. In 1939 George enlisted in the Army Air Corp and spent time in North Africa and Italy during WWII serving as an aerial photographer. In 1945 he returned home to his wife and job at UNC. Shortly after this, while still working as a tree surgeon on campus, he started his own business, “Dickinson Landscape & Tree Service”.
In 1946, George III “Dickie” was born while George Jr. and Hazel were enjoying their new Cape Cod home on Oakwood Drive in Chapel Hill. Their home was built on a lot in the Oakwood / Rogerson Drive sub-division which was actually started by George Jr. and several other investors on 100 plus acres just east of the current Glen Lennox Shopping Center on Hwy NC54. In 1950 George and Hazel moved five miles west of Carrboro to a tract of land in order to start a nursery. After two years it was realized that an in town business location would be better. The idea was to live at, landscape out of, and retail from the same location. This brings us to the current location of 1510 East Franklin Street (formerly Chapel Hill Road) in 1952 and a name change to Dickinson Garden Center. George Jr. would start raising plants at location while still performing landscape design and installation in the community. Hazel would take care of the household and retail business, and above all, enjoy interacting with her ever growing customer base and the many friendships, both gardening and personal, that would develop and continue for many years.
By the early sixties, son “Dickie” with drivers license at age 16 would drive the business truck to Lenoir Dining Hall on campus and retrieve the (1gal) #10 cans discarded by the kitchen staff. With bees and yellow jackets swarming from cargo, he would return to home and business where the cans would be washed, labels removed and holes punched in the bottoms with an old fashion beer opener. The end result was a 1 gallon nursery container, all from recycled material, and an inexpensive raw material for a soon to be growing garden center business. The retail business continued to grow through the mid-sixties and it was decided by ...