 The arboretum was planted in the 1920s under the direction of Arthur Fairchild who in 1947 deeded Magens Bay to the people of the Virgin Islands.Established as a private arboretum on his estate, it was said to contain 200 species representing 71 plant families, including 20 species local to the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.The arboretum was neglected after his death, but in 1974 the University of the Virgin Islands began to provide technical assistance, starting with the labeling of rare trees.