Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College slide collection

The Arthur Hoyt Scott Horticultural Foundation was established at Swarthmore College in 1929 as a memorial to Arthur Hoyt Scott (1874-1927). He was a member of the Swarthmore College Class of 1895, president of the Scott Paper Company, and an avid amateur gardener. Interest in establishing a horticultural center on the Swarthmore campus which focused on planting appropriate to Eastern Pennsylvania began in the mid 1920s with discussions between Scott and John C. Wister, a prominent local horticulturist. In 1925, Samuel C. Palmer , a classmate of Wister in the Class of 1895 and professor of botany at the College, submitted a plan to the Board of Managers to establish an arboretum on the campus, Discussions with Swarthmore College President Frank Aydelotte resulted in Aydelotte's approval of the plan in November 1925, but the project was delayed by lack of funding. Arthur Scott died in 1927 at the age of 52, and in 1929, the Arthur Hoyt Scott Horticultural Foundation was established by Edith Wilder Scott (Mrs. Arthur Hoyt Scott and Class of 1896) and Owen (Class of 1894) and Margaret Moon (sister of Arthur Scott). The intention of the Foundation was to focus on plantings appropriate to Eastern Pennsylvania, creating a practical "garden of ideas" for amateur gardeners while at the same time improving the campus.

John C. Wister (1887-1982) became director of the Scott Foundation on January 1, 1930. He was a graduate of Harvard University and Harvard's School of Landscape Architecture and a noted horticulturist, writing books on irises and lilacs and editing many others. He was succeed in 1969 by Joseph Oppe. Judith Zuk served as director from 1983-1990. She was succeeded by Claire Sawyers.

The name was changed to Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College in 1986 to reflect that the foundation is actually an operating arboretum.