Established by Professor W.J. Beal as a forestry test planting in 1896. It is one of the oldest experimental forest plantations in the state. The pines were originally planted on a grid of 10 x 12 feet. In 1903, additional hardwoods and conifers were planted by Dr. Beal north of the pine plantation on a "piece of river bottom one hundred and twenty square rods in extent." Beal described the planting as being a mixture of trees mostly of silver maple, box elder and basswoods with a smaller number of arbor-vitae, balsam fir, hemlock, Norway spruce, white spruce, red cedar, larch and white pine. These were planted on a four foot by four foot grid. Additional information concerning the planting and establishment of this plantation can be found in Professor Beal's annual reports to the Michigan State Board of Agriculture. Copies of these reports are held by the University Archives and Historical Collections (517-355-2330). The Beal Pinetum was added to the Campus Natural and Undeveloped Areas listing in 1995.