Henry Cope purchased 40 acres of land in East Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1852 where he built a home for his growing family. Over the next 70 years, his descendants build 24 houses representing a variety of architectural styles. A portion of this land, now known as the Awbury Arboretum, was left to the City Parks Association in 1916 to protect it from development. The Awbury Arboretum Association photograph collection, circa 1860-2011, includes family photographs and Awbury Arboretum Association photographs.
Douglas H. Kane (circa 1947-2002) was a nationally renowned environmental architect and scholar who focused on ecologically-based design. As director of the Awbury Arboretum from 1978-1983, Kane developed a master plan for the arboretum's future growth. The Douglas Kane collection, 1960-2002 [bulk 1978-1983], contains administrative and ephemeral records created by Douglas H. Kane during his time as director of the Awbury Arboretum.