Williams Conservatory

Mission

The mission of the Williams Conservatory, like the University of Wyoming, is to serve as a resource in higher education, offering a facility to enhance scholarship, to transfer knowledge of technology, promote economic and community development, and to promote stewardship of our vast resources.

Teaching Mission

• To provide growing space and a diverse living plant reference collection to facilitate teaching across University of Wyoming programs.  
• To promote hands-on learning opportunities for students in all University of Wyoming programs. 

Research Mission

• To provide a quality facility for researchers across the University to conduct cutting edge botanical research.

Outreach Mission

• To provide botanical expertise to the University community and general public.
• To provide a catalogued collection of plants for the enjoyment and education of the public.

Collection

The Williams Conservatory houses hundreds of plants ranging from 76 plant families. We are continually exploring new and exciting plants to add to the collection. Recently, we have added a Black Bat Flower (Tacca chantrieri), a Pelican Flower (Aristolochia gigantea), a coulple Hanging Lobster Claw plants (Heliconia rostrata), and two infamous Corpse Flower plants (Amorphophallus titanum)! While it will be years before the Corspe Flower plants bloom, we're hopeful this plant will attract new vistors to tour the facility and learn more about the world of plants.

Development of database representing the species housed in th ecollection is ongoing. 

History

The Williams Conservatory was built in 1994, our greenhouse was funded largely by private donations from Louis O. and Terua P. Williams. The National Science Foundation (NSF) also contributed grant dollars specifically for the enhancement and maintenance of research.

Louis and Terua Williams were supporters of the University of Wyoming’s Botany Department for many years. Terua met Louis in Jackson Hole, Wyoming when she was a school teacher and he was an aspiring botanist. Under the guidance of Aven Nelson, Louis earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Wyoming. After receiving his Ph.D. from Washington State University, Louis' career took him to Harvard University, the Panamerican School of Agriculture in Honduras, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In 1964, Louis took the role as department chair for the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago until he retired in 1973. Louis was also the editor of the American Orchid Society Bulletin for many years. Because of the generous support provided by Louis and Terua, the University of Wyoming was pleased to name the conservatory in their honor.