The land immediately surrounding the site is mostly brambles and prairie except for an impressive grove of European White Birches near the Gaunt House. 1910 -Construction of the Administration Building is completed. The lack of trees creates a view from the building that stretches across the land to the horizon. Elms are planted along a sidewalk that stretches from the Administration Building to College Avenue. They grow into a line of arching, cathedral-like boughs.
Brink becomes grounds superintendent.
He plants over 300 trees in 1920 alone and developed a nursery in the northeast corner of campus where over 7,000 trees are raised, many of which are later planted on campus. J.W. Jones Student Union is constructed. Chestnut trees planted southwest of the Administration Building are removed. An apparent offspring of these trees still exists near South Complex. 1960's -Dutch elm disease reaches Maryville and eliminates most of the American Elms on campus.