Statement of Significance (as of designation - July 19, 1964):
Situated on the University of Missouri campus, Sanborn Field, the country's second oldest soils and crop experimental field, was established in 1888, and the Soils Erosion Plots, the first such in the country for measuring runoff and erosion as influenced by different crops, in 1917. Research conducted here has led to improvements in agricultural practices and techniques, as well providing the foundation for the soil conservation movement in this country.

New campus construction across the street from Sanborn Field may shade some portions of the agricultural NHL, diminishing its research potential. The soil erosion plots, located near the university hospital and parking garage, are in dire need of stabilization and rehabilitation to ensure their historical integrity. The Missouri DOT installed a new traffic light at a very busy intersection adjacent to Sanborn Field. This area of the University of Missouri-Columbia campus is experiencing growth at a rapid pace and that may not prove to be beneficial for Sanborn Field.