The High Plains World of Claude A. Barr

Claude A. Barr (1887-1982) was a South Dakota cattle rancher who attained international acclaim as an eminent plantsman of the plains. Through his Prairie Gem Ranch, he supplied Great Plains seeds, plants, and information to the scientific and gardening world for many years. His achievements inspired formation of the Great Plains Native Plant Society in 1984.

Barr’s lifework is depicted in his posthumously published book “Jewels of the Plains” which is still the best reference to the plains wildflowers and their cultivation. With original photographs, the hardback edition of “Jewels of the Plains” is now out of print and the copies that can be found are a prized possession of gardeners around the world.

(Text from the Great Plains Native Plant Society)

A small exhibit on Barr, his life and work is located on the main floor of the Sandoz Center. Through the support of Chadron State College, the High Plains Herbarium on the Campus of Chadron State College – Dr. Ronald Weedon, and the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, the Center is home to a Claude Barr Garden. Featuring a sample of the plants that Barr wrote about in his book “Jewels of the Plains,” the Gardens are located on the east side of the Center and are open to public. For more information on the Claude Barr Garden, please visit the Heritage Gardens Section of this web-site.

This exhibit can be found on the Main floor of the Sandoz Center. The Claude A. Barr Garden is located on the east side of the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center