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In 2023, the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment (CFWE) received a generous gift: Crooked Oaks, the former homestead of Auburn University’s legendary football coach, Pat Dye. This 415-acre property in Notasulga, Alabama, is dedicated to honoring Dye’s legacy to provide hands-on learning experiences for CFWE and Auburn students.

Dye began developing the property in 1998 and continued to improve all aspects of the land until his passing in 2020. Today, Crooked Oaks is a fully functional lodging and special events venue featuring Dye’s lake house and adjacent dockside cottage, a six-bedroom open-concept lodge with a full-service kitchen, a 10,000-square foot lighted pavilion, formal ceremonial garden and lawn, gazebo, guest cabins, nursery and more.

Continuing its tradition of southern hospitality, the Crooked Oaks facility and full-time staff routinely accommodate lodging for up to 28 adults for bridal parties, reunions and other occasions and wedding and special event space for up to 400 guests within the pavilion and ceremonial lawn.

To further enhance the property, Crooked Oaks will launch a new development campaign in support of several improvement projects. One of these new projects is the restoration of the beloved Japanese maple nursery planted by Dye himself.

Student experiential learning opportunities will be woven into the project. The Crooked Oaks staff will engage graduate and undergraduate students to work in the nursery and student clubs will be invited to assist Crooked Oaks in grafting new seedlings for the nursery.

The students will also work alongside the Crooked Oaks manager to improve the infrastructure and layout of the nursery to optimize both functionality and accessibility. This includes installing and repairing irrigation systems and drainage areas, ensuring efficient water flow and preventing potential infrastructure issues.

To accomplish this, Crooked Oaks will require high-quality supplies and materials, such as grafting tools, soil amendments, multi-purpose gardening tools and shade material to enhance the overall gardening process.

Additionally, a key component of the project is the revitalization of the greenhouse, restoring it to a more effective and productive state. The anticipated cost for this project is estimated to be over $100,000.

With these improvements, the CFWE is poised to expand Crooked Oaks’ nursery operations to support the college’s teaching, research, and outreach platforms.

“This incredible gift is having a tremendous impact on the college, our students and our academic programs,” said Janaki Alavalapati, the Emmett F. Thompson Dean of the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment.

“It is both our honor and privilege to share this beautiful property with our community and students, and these improvement projects will ensure the farm maintains the horticultural integrity envisioned by Pat Dye and Nancy McDonald as an educational and recreational resource.”

An anonymous foundation has committed to matching gifts 1:1 for up to $50,000 for the nursery renovation project if the funds are raised by April 14, 2025.

Major gifts will qualify for up to 16 naming opportunities at Crooked Oaks, which include the event pavilion, ceremonial lawn and garden, lodge front porch, primary pond, nursery pond, oak trees lining the nursery driveway and more. All namings are subject to the approval of the Auburn University Board of Trustees.

Individuals who wish to participate in this campaign or to learn about additional giving opportunities may contact Heather Crozier, director of development at (334) 740-9522 or vannhea@auburn.edu. For more information on Crooked Oaks, visit the Crooked Oaks website.