Morrow Plots

Morrow Plots are three experimental fields at the University of Illinois that have supported continuous research for over 140 years. The plots are designed to track crop rotation systems and soil management techniques through long-term observation and detailed record keeping.

Professor Manly Miles established these experimental fields in 1876, making them the oldest continuously worked research plots in North America. The project grew from the university's need to systematically study how different planting methods affect soil health over time.

The fields reveal how farming practices in America changed over time, from basic methods to scientific approaches. Visitors can observe how research happens directly in the soil and understand the shift in agricultural work.

The site can be visited from the outside since the fields are visible and accessible on campus. It helps to research the exact location beforehand to save time finding the plots.

The nearby Undergraduate Library was built with three underground levels specifically to prevent shadows from falling on the experimental fields. This unusual architectural choice reveals how important the research was to the university's planning.