Most of the county was covered originally with a dense forest of oak, walnut, maple, ash, elm and hickory. No pines or hemlocks existed, and their species do not flourish now, even when planted and carefully nourished. A small cluster of tamaracks is found in the prairie of Eel River Township, the only ones believed to exist. The chestnut, so common throughout the United States in this lati¬ tude, is unknown here. The cottonwood flourishes along the river banks, and sometimes grows to immense size.
At one time fences, like this one, could be found all over Wabash County. This is a split rail fence also called a worm or snake fence. In the early days settlers used the abundant trees to make rails and then stacked them one on top of the other in an interlocking zig-zag fashion. They were easy to create, repair and later take down. This one was found at the entrance to Brown County State Park. When growing up in Indiana Abraham Lincoln was known as a "rail splitter."
According to the 1824 law shown below worm fences were required for enclosing animals upon the owners land.
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Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Indiana. That all fields kept for enclosures, shall be well enclosed with a fence composed of sufficient posts and rails, posts and pailing, palisadoes or rails alone, laid up in the manner which is commonly called a worm fence; which posts shall be deep set and strongly fastened in the earth, and all fences composed of posts and rails, posts and pailings, or palisadoes, shall be at least five feet in hieight; and all fences which are composed of rails in manner which is commonly denominated a worm fence, shall be at least five feet. What shall be six inches in height, the uppermost rail in each and every fence, pannel thereof, supported by strong stakes strongly set and fastened in the earth, so as to compose what is commonly called a stakeing and ridering, otherwise the uppermost rail in each and every pannel shall be braced with two strong rails, poles, or stakes, locking each corner or angle thereof; and in all the foregoing materials, the apertures between the rails, pailngs, or palisadoes within two feet of the surface of the earth, shall not be more than four inches, and from the distance of two feet from the surface of the earth, the apertures between such rails, pailings, or palisadoes shall not be more than six inches, and that in all worm fences staked and ridered, the worm shall be at least four ket six inches, and if locked as aforesaid, the worm shall be at least five feet and all fences of the height and strength herein required, shall be considered lawful against horses and neat cattle.
Sec. 2. If any horse, mule, or ass, sheep, goat, or neat cattle, shall break into any person's enclosure, the fence being of the aforesaid height and strength, or if any hog or hogs shall break into any person's enclosure, the fence being of the aforesaid sufficiency, and by the view of two persons for that purpose appointed by the board of county com-
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missioners of said county, found and approved to be such, then the owner of such creature or creatures, shall be liable to make good all damages to the owner of the enclosure; for the first offence, single damages only; ever afterwards, double the damages sustained.
Sec. 3. For the better ascertaining and regulating: of partition fences, it is hereby directed that when any neighbour shall improve lands adjacent to each other, or where any person shall enclose any lands adjoining to another's land already fenced, so that any part of the first person's becomes the partion fence between them, in both these cases, the charge of such division fence (so far as enclosed on both sides) shall he equally borne and maintained by both parties; to which and other ends in this law mentioned, the board of county commissioners in the several counties in this commissioners state, yearly, shall nominate and appoint three honest and able men, for each township respectively, who being duly sworn to the faithful discharge of the duties of their appointment, shall proceed, at the request of any person or persons feeling him or themselves aggrieved, to view all such fence or fences, about which any difference may happen to arise; and the aforesaid persons or any two of them in each township respectively, shall be the sole judges of the charge to be borne by the delinquent or by both or either party, and of the sufficiency of all fences, whether partition or others; and when they shall adjudge any fence to be insufficient, they shall give notice thereof to the owners or proprietors or occupiers thereof, upon request of the other, and due notice given by the said viewers, shall refuse or neglect to make or repair the said fence or fences, or to pay the money of the charge of any fence before made, being the division or common fence, within twenty days after notice given, then upon proof thereof before two justices of the peace of the respective county, it shall be lawful for the said justices to order the person aggrieved or suffering thereby, to make or repair the said fence or fences, who shall be reimbursed his costs and charges from the person so refusing or neglecting to make or repair the partition fence or fences aforesaid ; or to order the delinquent to pay the moiety of the charge of the fence before made, being a division or common fence, (as the case may be,) and if the delinquent shall neglect or refuse to pay to the party injured, the moiety of the charge of any fence before made, or to reimburse the costs and charges of making and repairing the said fence or fences, under the order aforesaid, then the same shall be levied upon the delinquent's goods and chattels, under warrant from a justice of the peace, by distress and sale thereof, the overplus, if any, to be returned to the said delinquent: Provided that nothing herein contained, shall be intended to prevent or debar any person or persons from
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enclosing his or her own grounds in any manner they please, with sufficient walls or fences of timber, other than those heretofore mentioned, or by dykes, hedges or ditches. All such walls and fences to be in height, at least five feet from the ground, and all dykes to be at least three feet in height from the bottom of the ditch, and planted and set with thorn and other quickset, so that such enclosures shall fully answer and secure the several purposes meant to be answered and secured by this law: Provided also, that such walls or fences of timber, other than those heretofore mentioned, and dykes, hedges and ditches, shall be subject to all provisions, inspections, and restrictions respectively, to which by this law, any other enclosure or fence is made liable," according to the true intent and meaning hereof.
Early residents of Allen County found it difficult to procure quality fresh fruit, like they were used having back east. In the 1840s, Susan Man McCulloch brought seeds and saplings, including cherries, back from New York nurseries for her and her neighbors to establish orchards in our community. The 1850s saw the rise of the modern production of cherry production in the United States. Cherries range from sweet to tart, they come in shades ranging from red to yellow, and you can create a wide variety of dishes, desserts, and drinks with them. Established in the middle of the 20th Century, National Cherry Day is celebrated each year on July 16 and helps to promote the consumption and awareness of our cherries. Today, the U.S. cherry industry produces more than 650 million pounds of tart and sweet cherries each year. Take sometime today to celebrate by visiting a u-pick farm, making some cherry ice tea or even participate in a cherry pit spitting contest. Today we share some of our cherry related items from our collection. #sociallyhistory
We never tire of this century-old picture taken near Worthington, Indiana: Champion Platanus sycamore tree, circa 1915. Thumbs up for the big and the beautiful.
We never tire of this century-old picture taken near Worthington, Indiana: Champion Platanus sycamore tree, circa 1915. Thumbs up for the big and the beautiful.
Do you have any pictures of the Council oak that the miami used to meet under? A photo captioned: Council Oak under which La Salle met the Miami Indiana in 1681 and held a conference with them was posted shown on the page The Potawatomi at Council Oak July 20, 2016. Council Oak on The Historical Marker Datatbase HMdb.org says the oak tree was finally toppled by strong winds in 1991.
Early 20th century newspaper advertisements for South Wood Park development emphasized big trees as a fine place for Fort Wayne children. See our Historic South Wood Park Neighborhood page.
In cutting the streets and boulevards through the forest in South Wood Park, the landscape architect has been guided by the desire to preserve hundreds of the finest specimens of the forest. The photograph is a typical view in the broad wooded seetion of South Wood Park.
Probably no place in Fort Wayne offers attractive natural playgrounds for children to surpass the broad park ways in South wood Park, the new Hilgeman Schaaf development on the south side. Big trees and broad open areas have proved irresistible for many who have already seen the place. Most of the lot purchasers announce, that they will build homes this summer or fall. The work of paving and laying of sidewalks as well as the placing of sewers and water mains, is now engaging attention. The vyast work has been going forward since midsummer.
"Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." ― Warren Buffett
"Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." ― Warren Buffett
ACRES staff learned how to use a borer tool! 🌳 This tool safety takes a section of wood from a tree. From that sample, you can age the tree and observe how much it grew each year! 🪵
ACRES staff learned how to use a borer tool! 🌳 This tool safety takes a section of wood from a tree. From that sample, you can age the tree and observe how much it grew each year!
Street trees affect the look and character of neighborhoods. Allen County was once covered by virgin primeval forest and on the eastern side by the Great Black Swamp. Trees were cut down for wood products, farmland and cities, then often replanted with non-native species of trees as more homes and businesses were built. See our Timelines page for more information about historical events.
During his inaugural speech today, Gov. Holcomb informed his audience that "the purist patriotism is to 'convert the...
During his inaugural speech today, Gov. Holcomb informed his audience that "the purist patriotism is to 'convert the gloomy woods into fields waving with luxuriant harvests' " referencing a speech given nearly 200 years ago in Martin County.
What implications would a "gloomy woods" view have on Indiana native plant and wildlife species? Please share your favorite woodsy photos in the comment section below.
In 1821, just five years after we became our own state, a speaker at a Fourth of July celebration down in Martin County said, “The purest patriotism is to convert the gloomy woods into fields waving with luxuriant harvests.” from Full text: Holcomb’s inaugural address WANE Staff Reports January 9, 2017 CBS WANE-TV NewsChannel 15.
In 2023 Lindenwood Cemetery was designated as an Arboretum which is a place where trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants are cultivated for scientific and educational purposes. See our Lindenwood Cemetery page.
We are so ready for 2pm! Thank you again to Arbor Farms Nursery & Brandenberger Tree Care Professionals LLC for joining us today!!!
“As a newly designated arboretum, we are looking forward to building our tree population as well as making sure the species that are currently on our grounds remain healthy. We hope the Fort Wayne community enjoys our cemetery grounds and its diverse tree population,” General Manager of Lindenwood Cemetery Amber Gonzalez.
Levels of Accreditation The four levels of accreditation recognize arboreta at various degrees of development, capacity, and professionalism. Accredited arboreta are encouraged to seek and achieve higher professional standards and move up through the levels.
Cookie Cottage never dissapoints! These turned out absolutely beautiful! Come out for cookies and saplings (while they last) tomorrow at 2pm!
What a beautiful day for our Arbor Day Celebration! We have to thank our staff as well as Arbor Farms Nursery & Brandenberger Tree Care Professionals LLC! Arbor Farms generously donated 3 Linden Trees and planted the one at the entrance. Barb, from Arbor Farms, also led us on a tree identification hike and taught us all a few things! The Brandenberger team trimmed 2 trees by our mausoleum that were in need of some TLC. The difference is spectacular! Mason, from Brandenberger, shared helpful techiques and answered some questions a that our staff had. [ See Linden trees ]
Last but not least, this was for our community! We are grateful for all who showed up and enjoyed the knowledge that was provided! We hope you enjoyed your cookies and hope you find the perfect place for your sapling!
It was an amazing day and we look forward to keeping you up to date on the happenings of the Arboretum!
A 1923 newspaper article about the burial location of John Chapman, aka Johnny Appleseed during a visit by the Society of Indiana Pioneers and Indiana Historical Society visiting historical sites around Fort Wayne mentioned, under the heading Visit Rudisill Farm at the bottom of the page:
It has been said of John Chapman that he loved the undisturbed forests, to listen to birds and to gaze at the stars. If this be true, his last resting place is in harmony with his life. Fort there nature is undisturbed; the silence is only broken by the songs of birds, and nightly the stars look down upon the lonely grave on the summit of the hill. In the memory of the pilgrims there will always remain the picture of the hillside slope, carpeted with wild strawberries, the stately evergreen line against the sky, the little enclosure, its surroundings of nature, prodigal and unrestrained, and over all, the clear sunshine of a perfect June day.
Does Bicentennial Woods show us what primeval Allen County, Indiana was like when Europeans arrived?
Bicentennial Woods October 17, 2022 Maxamillian Studio on YouTube
Bicentennial Woods is a nearly 80 acres of nature preserve on the northern side of Allen County, IN protected by Acres Land Trust. These amazing trails are filled with the colors of fall and are a perfect spot to enjoy some nature bathing.This was shot with the DJI Mavic 3. Hope you enjoy!
Pardon the detours on the cemetery grounds today. We have a few trees being removed for safety reasons.
[ See our Lindenwood Cemetery page. The
Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the
Allen County Public Libraryhas many historic photos of gardens in the cemetery in the early 20th century. Their Facebook page shows some recent improvements. A recent drive through the Catholic Cemetery shows recent tree plantings along the roads in open areas. A recent photo in the newspaper shows a bald eagles nest in a tall sycamore tree in the Catholic Cemetery.]
You might think this photo was taken in England... but it's right here in Fort Wayne. We continue to highlight some houses that are featured in the 2008 Southwood Park Historic District brochure for National Historic Preservation month!
Kenneth & Elizabeth Bechtel House (original owners)
4319 Indiana Avenue Tudor Revival, c. 1925
Only a small percentage of Tudor houses have stucco as the primary wall surface. The steep roof, prominent stone chimney, half-timbering and casement windows are classic Tudor features. The stone foundation and entry arch are nice details. Bechtel was employed at S.F. Bowser Company, manufacturer of gasoline pumps.
Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation, Trees Indiana and other tree enthusiasts gathered today to celebrate Arbor Day. Fort...
Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation, Trees Indiana and other tree enthusiasts gathered today to celebrate Arbor Day. Fort Wayne has been named a Tree City USA® by the Arbor Day Foundation for the 34th consecutive year in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management. Read more Fort Wayne Awarded Tree City USA by Arbor Day Foundation Fort Wayne Awarded Tree City USA® by Arbor Day Foundation2024 marks 34th consecutive year for award
What do trees and maps have in common? The USGS, of course!
While you're out planting a tree for #ArborDay, our satellites are mapping trees across the U.S. to support research on land cover change. This tree canopy data produced by the U.S. Forest Service with Landsat images is one of many layers of data available on the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) that document how our environment changes over time. As part of the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium (MRLC), a 20-year partnership with other federal agencies, we create data to support research into how things like natural hazards, urbanization, agriculture, and climate change shape our landscape.
Choice of tree species is important too as examples on this page will show. Flowering trees genearlly live only 50 years or so, and non-native speices can be invasive and disrupt native wildlife habitat.
Check back on our timeline for tree planting tips and tricks!
🌳 We love trees — we just hate power outages! 🌲 So this Arbor Day, take a moment to consider the mature height and spread of the tree you’re planting. Here are some general guidelines to consider:
The benefits of trees which can easily be measured have been known for decades, but did you know that some benefits are less easy to measure yet significant to our well-being? Learn more in the latest Parks Podcast with Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Superintendent of Urban Forestry Derek Veit and Park Director Steve McDaniel. https://soundcloud.com/.../parks-podcast-the-benefits-of...
"Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation has multiple ongoing initiatives to maintain and grow the city’s tree canopy.
Last year, Mayor Tom Henry allocated $500,000 to the department with the sole purpose of planting trees on city property. That is enough money to purchase and plant 2,000 trees in parks and along city streets."
A great initiative by our friends at Tree Canopy Growth Fund!
The amount of land covered by trees within Fort Wayne city limits has declined from 29% to 23% in the last decade.
There are three main reasons for this decline: urban development, severe weather damage, and… a bug.
The Emerald Ash Borer is an insect that, starting in 2009, led to the destruction of around 14,000 ash trees in Fort Wayne alone, according to Derek Veit, the superintendent of forestry for Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation.
“Through that, we realized we need to diversify the canopy more,” Veit said. “Meaning that we need more different species so that if we end up with an insect pest or a disease pest in the future, the impact is less on the whole.”
Urban development also has taken its toll on the Summit City’s tree canopy. Fort Wayne’s population has grown by more than 10,000 in the last decade, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Jasper-Pulaski State Tree Nursery has officially begun fulfilling this year’s tree seedling orders! Over 2.3 million tree seedlings have been sold by the state tree nurseries this year and are due to be distributed and planted this spring. Customers will be receiving a postcard in the coming weeks to let them know their order is ready! Learn more about the state tree nurseries and how to order seedlings at Tree Seedling Nurseries!
Celebrating DNR’s achievement of planting one million trees in Indiana in five years, Governor Eric Holcomb, DNR Director Dan Bortner and Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governor's & Premiers Tree Initiative Program Director Mike Piskur planted a 12-foot cucumber magnolia on the Statehouse lawn today.
Red oak, white oak, bur, chinkapin, swamp chestnut, Shumard, pin, cherry bark oaks, and black walnut trees were planted on state forest, state park, fish & wildlife area, and nature preserve land around the state. A plaque commemorating the historic milestone will be installed next to the tree. DNR and Indiana Natural Resources Foundation worked with many private partners including CLIF Bar, Duke Energy, the Hardwood Forestry Fund, Huston Solar, Bowles Mattress Company and the White Oak Institute to finish the goal. Learn more at Gov. Holcomb plants ceremonial millionth tree.
ARBOR DAY: In 2020, the Indiana DNR began the ForestIN program with the goal of planting a million trees in 5 years. To celebrate Arbor Day 2024, we are planting the Millionth Tree on the grounds of the Indiana Statehouse! This young cucumber magnolia, a state endangered tree species, commemorates the hard work of DNR employees to increase the state’s tree canopy. Thank you to all who came out to the Statehouse to celebrate the Millionth Tree of ForestIN! Learn more about ForestIN at A million trees in five years!
Char Miller US Forest Service History, AFS 2004 December 28, 2020 Michael Furniss on YouTube.
This is a talk given by Professor Char MIller at the USFS 2004 national earth sciences conference in San Diego in 2004, the year of the USFS Centennial. This was converted from a Flash presentation and may have a few synchronization issues. All Forest Service people should know this history.
Nature's Temples: Old Growth Forests with Dr. Joan Maloof May 23, 2023 MCAT Community Media on YouTube.
As part of the Missoula Public Library's month-long Old Growth celebration in April, author and founder of the Old-Growth Forest Network, Joan Maloof, presents on her work and her recently revised and expanded book "Nature's Temples: A Natural History of Old-Growth Forests" (2023).
On June 23, 2022, Carroll D. Ritter joined our Conservation Conversation lecture series to discuss his new book Magnificent Trees of Indiana. Carroll Ritter inherited a sense of wonder about trees from his father, who taught him so much about them in the woods. As a science educator, he built in lessons about forests and took many students to the woods to learn about their importance in the natural world. Having nominated seven state champion trees himself, he realized how a fascinating book could be created around Indiana’s largest specimens and how some old-growth tracts still exist here in our state. The book focuses on these remarkable places in a fashion intended to be enjoyable reading, educational, and superbly illustrated with fine photography.
Witness trees were described by surveyors in the early 1800s as they were laying out the grid pattern that would eventually become our property lines today. When the first surveying was done in the U.S., surveyors would pile rocks where section lines would cross, or drive a rod into the ground. These series of property intersections would identify property boundaries to homesteaders who were moving west or given land for serving in the Revolutionary War.
It was decided that the closest tree to the property intersection shall be marked with a saw and its distance and direction from the property lines were recorded as well as the tree type and tree diameter.Witness trees marked borders, historical events Ricky Kemery, March 1, 2022 The Journal Gazette newspaper.
We are improving reliability - one tree at a time. We love trees. We just hate power outages. Trees and brush are the No. 1 cause of power outages. We have a proactive plan to prevent tree outages, and it’s already paying off for our customers.
As part of the "Powering Up Central" project, American Electric Power - AEP & Indiana Michigan Power are working with WHC, the City of Fort Wayne, and other organizations to upgrade equipment and create valuable habitat along its powerline rights-of-way.
This initiative will ensure safe, effective electrical transmission for Fort Wayne residents while also providing early-successional habitat for wildlife like pollinators and songbirds.
Notice the little man standing on the left side of the giant sycamore tree in the bookTrees of Indiana by Deam, Charles Clemon, 1865-1953 with several edtions from 1911 through 1921, several are found on the Archive.org. The 1921 edition has the photo of the huge sycamore tree shown above with the caption:
SYCAMORE NEAR WORTHINGTON, IND., THE LARGEST BROAD-LEAVED TREE IN THE U. S. FIVE FEET ABOVE THE GROUND IT IS 42 FT. 3 IN. IN CIRC. ; THE EAST BRANCH IS 27 FT. 3 IN. IN CIRC. AND THE WEST BRANCH IS 23 FT. 2 IN. IN CIRC. SEE JOUR. HEREDITY, VOL. 6:407:1915.
The largest tree in Indiana in the early days of statehood, and still today, is American Sycamore. The largest one appears to be a tree that occurred along the Ohio River in Harrison County. It was 20 feet in diameter! This one in the picture is just a mere 13 feet! The largest known today is 8 feet in diameter. A comment to the post added a link to the Indiana Big Tree Register at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
Another August 30, 2016 post, with comments about his herbarium collection location, stated:
CHARLES DEAM, Indiana's first state forester, was born on this day in 1865 near Bluffton, Indiana. Recognized as one of the foremost botanists in the country, Deam traveled throughout all of Indiana's 1,016 townships collecting more than 78,000 plant specimens. He discovered 25 new plant species and has at least 48 plants, one state recreation area (Deam Lake SRA) and a U.S wilderness area (Charles C. Deam Wilderness Area) named in his honor. You can learn more about Charles Deam at http://www.in.gov/dnr/forestry/files/deam.pdf.
On August 30, 1865, botanist Charles Deam was born in Wells County. He had his first brush with the curative powers of plants early in his life when he survived typhoid fever after drinking an old pioneer remedy made of boiled milk and an herb called Old-Field Balsam.
Deam eventually became Indiana's first state botanist and author of several books about flora and fauna, like Shrubs of Indiana (1924) and Flora of Indiana (1940).
Flora of Indiana by Charles C. Deam described on Amazon.com as Published in 1940, with reprintings in 1970 and 1984, the Flora has served as the standard by which other state floras must be compared. Now over 60 years old, it has clearly withstood the test of time, and continues to be a primary source of information for any serious student of field botany.
Charlie Deam wrote several books about the trees and plants originally found in Indiana at the time of the arrival of European settlers and also talks about living in early Indiana. His biography Plain Ol' Charlie Deam: Pioneer Hoosier Botanist on page 2 describes his parents arrival in 1837 by wagon from Montgomery County, Ohio into the Wabash Valley of Indiana describing their early life as pioneers in 19th century Indiana. The Book Description on Purdue University Press states: Although a self-taught botanist, Charlie Deam (1865-1953) once served as state forester for Indiana and is revered as a pioneer in the field of botany. He traveled more than 100,000 miles throughout the state in his lifetime collecting 73,000 plant specimens. His four volumes about the flora, grasses, shrubs, and trees of Indiana resulted, among other things, in three honorary degrees. Deam's herbarium and 3,000-volume botanical library are now housed at Indiana University. See his books available on Internet Archive.
How many of our ancestors saw and helped remove monster trees like the one above? The landscape that became Indiana once was one large natural area with its present boundary unrecognized, uncharted. Within the bounds of present-day Indiana, and stretching from the Ohio River to Lake Michigan, and from the Whitewater River to the Wabash lay more than 36,000 square miles of the finest forests and prairies, swamps and marshes, barrens and savannas, glades and cliffsides, bogs and fens, seeps and springs, and lakes and streams to be found anywhere in the heartland of North America. This paragraph is copied from an essay called Perspective: The Indiana that Was by Marion T. Jackson published in the book The Natural Heritage of Indiana, copyright 1997, Indiana University Press and printed on the website The Inspiration for the Natural Heritage of Indiana Project. The essay describes how early pioneers were able to remove those giant trees in just a few decades. See our section on Trees.
You've heard it said. But do tree rings actually tell us the true age of a tree?
The answer is ... yes! Trees can provide us with a wealth of information about their past and the world around them. They've experienced significant environmental changes, climate shifts, and historical events. Since trees are sensitive to temperature, moisture, and sunlight, their growth reacts to these factors.
Wider tree rings could signify a warm, wet year, while finer tree rings may indicate a cold, dry season. These patterns provide the basis for determining their true age - known as tree-ring dating.
Dendrochronology
What is dendrochronology Dendrochronology or tree-ring dating has been available as a recognized scientific technique since the early 1900s. Simply stated, trees in temperate zones (and some in tropical zones) grow one visible ring per calendrical year. Read more at the Cornell Tree-Ring Laboratory The Laboratory for Aegean and Near Eastern Dendrochronology Cornell University.
Dendrochronology is a lengthy page describing Dendrochronology, or tree-ring dating, the science that assigns accurate calendar dates to the yearly growth rings produced by trees (Nash 2000) at the National Park Service.
Today is #GoodMemoryDay! Originally designed to take a moment to cherish the good memories of the past. But did you know that trees have excellent memories? Trees record events and conditions in their annual rings. The profession that studies the data stored in these rings is known as #Dendrochronology. Scientists can learn about historical climate swings, weather events, and even when a wildfire came through and the direction it was traveling! This Douglas fir that fell in a New Mexico windstorm in 2013 has seen 410 years of history. It was already old when George Washington took control of the American army beneath the Washington elm!
Williamsburg’s Bray School was established in 1760 for the education of free and enslaved Black children. Then dendrochronology led to the discovery of the building where those lessons took place. It was the culmination of years of work by Colonial Williamsburg and William & Mary – and both are committed to making the most of the discovery.
Learn more in the most recent issue of Trend & Tradition: ‘This was the Bray School’ Discovering the 18th-century school for Black children and the meaning of the education provided there
You don’t want to miss the talk during the IBF Forum and Annual Meeting by Dr. Darrin Rubino on the dating of buildings, particularly barns, using tree ring data. It is fascinating! Register today for this year's meeting on July 16th in Martinsville/Morgan County.
Need more info?
Tree rings, the annual increments of wood that are deposited around the circumference of a tree, offer a unique opportunity to study historic growth patterns in trees and forests. Dendrochronology is the science of assigning accurate calendar dates to individual tree rings so that growth can be analyzed over extended time periods. Dendroarchaeology, a subfield of dendrochronology, is the study of the tree-ring patterns found in the timbers of historically erected structures (and other wooden objects) to determine when they were constructed. This talk will focus on how tree rings are used to date historic buildings and will highlight how tree-ring analysis is used to better understand historic architecture, forest use, and regional history throughout the Mid-Ohio River Valley. Along with his student researchers and colleagues, Darrin has been able to date timbers from over 200 buildings (including barns, churches, houses, mills, and buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places) and to create a vast database of accurately measured and dated tree rings that reaches back to the mid-15th century.
Following lunch we'll watch Darrin taking samples from the barns at the 1847 Cedar Lane Farm. Learn how you too may have your barn sampled and dated!
The modern city of Harrisonburg grew up around this modest stone house, which until recently was thought to have been erected for Thomas Harrison ca. 1750. But new research and a dendrochronology study completed by James Madison University in 2018 has determined that it was built ca. 1790; Harrison died in 1785. Harrison laid out the town that was to bear his name on fifty acres of his holdings and was also instrumental in having Harrisonburg established as the Rockingham County seat in 1780. Prior to confirmation of the date of construction, it was believed that the first courts were held in this building, which is also associated with Bishop Francis Asbury, a pioneer leader of the Methodist Episcopal church, who often visited Harrison and conducted some of the county’s first Methodist services. While the original Thomas Harrison house no longer exists, this building remains an early example of stone vernacular architecture in the Shenandoah Valley, and a contributing building in the Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District. Its window architraves are cut from solid walnut timbers. This house remained in the Harrison family until 1870, which is probably why it was long-thought to have been Thomas Harrison’s. The nomination for the property is in the process of being updated based on this important new information. The original nomination, which was written in 1973, is accessible at the link above.
[Photo credit: David Edwards/DHR, 2021]
VLR Listing Date 06/19/1973
NRHP Listing Date 07/26/1973
Historic Places in the Piedmont: Peter Hitt Log Cabin in Fauquier County.
This is part of our series of posts about fascinating historic places in the Piedmont, some of which you may never have heard of before.
While the Peter Hitt Cabin has not been formally recognized with a listing on the National Register of Historic Places, because of its unique association with Fauquier’s frontier story and high degree of integrity, we believe it is a resource that should be nominated.
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This is the home of Peter Hitt, the grandson of Peter Hitt, who was one of 42 people to arrive in Virginia in 1714 as indentured servants of Governor Alexander Spotswood. Together, they established the earliest organized settlement of Germans in colonial Virginia along the Rapidan River at Fort Germanna. Peter Hitt (the grandson), was a veteran of the Revolutionary War and following his service he moved west, acquiring a land lease from the heirs of Lord Fairfax along the Rappahannock River in Fauquier County.
Based on dendrochronology, we learned that he built this house in the summer of 1800 from southern yellow pine. Today, the house stands as a capsule in time, a testament to the pioneering spirit of the area’s German settlers, as they continued to push west and create new frontiers. The Germanna Foundation
The Language of Trees: The study of tree rings, dendrochronology, is far more than just counting rings - it’s a method of scientific dating based on the analysis of tree ring growth patterns. Trees are excellent indicators of the natural environment and provide researchers with annual historical ecological information. Dendrochronology can answer important questions pertaining to when a structure was built, how long it was inhabited, when people left and why. Pictured here is a great example of how a tree can speak. Aztec Ruins National Monument has much wood incorporated into the structures, and to determine the year in which the structure was built, dendrochronologists examine the outermost ring on wooden beams. This ring represents the year the tree was cut (the last year the tree was alive), and likely the year that this tree was used in construction. (Photo credit: NPS)
"In Search of the Old Ones: An Odyssey among Ancient Trees" from Smithsonian Books is an extraordinary journey to visit the oldest trees in the United States beautifully revealing the connection between humans and natural history.
Hardwoods is the No. 1 agricultural industry in the state in terms of jobs, wages and economic impact,” ... Indiana hardwood firms create more than $10 billion in annual revenues and support over 70,000 jobs, with a total annual economic impact of more than $15 billion. ... Indiana is ranked first in the U.S. in wood office furniture and hardwood veneer production. Depending on the year, Indiana leads or is in the top five states for wood kitchen cabinets and countertops, engineered wood products, prefabricated wooden buildings and homes, upholstered wooden furniture, and wooden coffins and caskets, for which black walnut is highly prized. Copied from Indiana Hardwoods Industry Is State’s Leading Ag Sector posted November 20, 2022 by Matthew Ernst on Farm Flavor.com.
High-quality hardwood forests and a business-friendly environment, has made Indiana ranked:
1st nationally in the production of wood office furniture and hardwood veneer
2nd in wood kitchen cabinets and countertops, manufactured homes
3rd in engineered wood products
4th in pre-fabricated wood buildings
5th in upholstered household furniture
Indiana’s hardwood industry has an annual economic impact of over $10 billion and supports 70,000 jobs -- 44,000 in primary and secondary manufacturing and 26,000 in ancillary sectors. 4.1 of Indiana’s 4.9 million forest acres are privately owned and statewide timber growth exceeds removals for harvest and natural tree mortality by 2.3 times. Hoosier forests offer a sustainable and natural raw material for manufactures that has an environmental impact difficult to beat!
When the emerald ash borer struck this area more than a decade ago we lost well over 100 ash trees on the boulevard. Over the past 15 years or so the association and friends have spend nearly $25,000 to help the city re-tree the boulevard in order to restore the lush canopy we once had. It is slowly coming back.
Our subordinate goal over these years has been to carry the beauty of Foster Park from Old Mill to Calhoun Street. So, we have planted flowering trees and ornamentals at intersections to emulate the work Parks does in the park.
When city forester Derek Veit appeared last week before council he cited a statistic that credits beautification with lowering crime.
Other studies conclude that an abundance of street trees slows traffic and calms the savages behind the wheel. On Rudisill that is an important goal. Among the trees we have and are yet to plant are also species that emit pleasing fragrances from spring to fall hoping that a little aromatherapy will encourage everyone to slow down and smell the flowering trees, and enjoy life that much more. Those trees often provide seeds and berries to birds who then sing for us.
Another study argues that trees add to property values, so that is another benefit of restoring the canopy.
Before the ash borer those who lived on the boulevard remember trees arching across Rudisill, nearly blocking the sun from the park to Calhoun. Cooling shade, majestic shade and beautification are our goals.
Now, our friend, the city controller, tells us that he has managed to set aside nearly $500,000 new dollars for additional tree plantings throughout the city. We will seek a few of those dollars to complete our canopy.
The benefits of trees which can easily be measured have been known for decades, but did you know that some benefits are less easy to measure yet significant to our well-being? Learn more in the latest Parks Podcast with Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Superintendent of Urban Forestry Derek Veit and Park Director Steve McDaniel. https://soundcloud.com/.../parks-podcast-the-benefits-of...
This 1.25 mile path flows through PFW’s vibrant campus along the St. Joseph River so you can appreciate the native trees of Fort Wayne. On the walk, you’ll see over 100 native trees.
BIG NEWS! We need your help finding big trees for the Big Tree Registry! Our website has been updated with Big Tree Champions, like this gorgeous sugar maple with a circumference of 210.5 inches and a height of 87.5 feet! We are also excited to unveil our new online nomination system, which will allow you to submit nominations for new big tree candidates year-round! To see the Big Tree Champions and review the instructions for nominating new candidates, please visit our website: Indiana Big Tree Register!
Neither Allen County nor our neighboring counties have a current Indiana Big Tree on the register. Black Walnut, Juglans nigra in Elkhart County Benton Township and Persimmon, Diospyros virginiana in Miami County, Peru Township are the closest big trees. Back in 2005, the Indiana big sugar maple was in South Park Cemetery Whitley County from a plaque and newspaper article by the tree. Those big trees found in cemeteries would have been there when our ancestors were buried. The South Park Cemetery was still listed in the 2010 Indiana Big Tree Register on page 12 of the 24 page WordPress blog post.
Go on a Historical Tree Tagging Mission for #EarthDay!
Earth Day 2016′s theme is Trees for the Earth. If you can’t get out and plant a tree, help tag & transcribe vintage U.S. Forest Service tree photos in the US National Archives Catalog! This easy citizen archivist mission will help make these images more accessible and searchable for researchers and the public.
Storms toppling trees reveal the extent of roots growing in the top foot or so of the soil. Roots are blocked from spreading by streets, curbs, buildings, sidewalks and other obstacles in the soil surrounding the trees. Roots should extent many feet beyond the drip line of healthy trees depending on the species.
Severe weather swept through northeast Indiana overnight leading to downed power lines and trees, and thousands of power outages. Check out a gallery of damage photos in this story.
Severe weather swept through northeast Indiana overnight leading to downed power lines and trees, and thousands of power outages. Check out a gallery of damage photos in this story.
Chestnut blight in the early 1900s, Dutch elm disease in the 1950s, and emerald ash borer in the early 2000s have decimated those species of trees. News reports continue to discuss new discoveries of alien species that could become future problems.
For decades, 101 Trees of Indiana has provided all you need to identify a tree in the Hoosier State, whatever the season. This revised edition includes over 100 species of trees, mostly native to the state but also others that are widely naturalized or planted extensively, plus a bevy of updated facts, statistics, and photos to provide even clearer and more accurate botanical details.
American Ash trees
Rockwood Drive at Glenrose Drive in Glenwood Park built in the 1960s on the northeast side of Fort Wayne shows dead ash trees in this July 2011 Street View photo on Google Maps.
Rockwood Drive at Glenrose Drive in Glenwood Park in the current Street View photo on Google Maps shows maple trees were planted in their place.
2900 block of Farnsworth in Brentwood a mile or so away also built in the 1960s on the northeast side of Fort Wayne shows dying ash trees in this July 2011 Street View photo on Google Maps.
2900 block of Farnsworth in Brentwood a mile or so away also built in the 1960s on the northeast side of Fort Wayne did not replace their dead ash trees in current Street View photo on Google Maps.
ASH TREES ON CLINTON STREET [Headwaters Park - Chad Tinkel Fort Wayne Manager of Forestry in the 2012 video says the city has treated the trees for emearld ash borer since 2006]
A BEAUTIFUL evening!!
This is a photograph of the Ash Tree lined Clinton Street... I took this photograph looking North on Clinton @ Duck Street... Clinton is one way going South, so people don't normally see this perspective.... Headwaters Park is on both sides of Clinton Street!!
I took this photograph on September 30, 2020 @ 6:45 pm.
I hope you enjoy this look back... it sure was a GORGEOUS Evening.... Just like tonight!!
ID That Tree: White Ash by
Mar 4, 2022 Purdue Extension - Forestry and Natural Resource on YouTube
In this episode of ID That Tree, meet the ash family, with specific focus on the white ash, which is typically found on higher and drier sites than its cohorts. This species, which is in trouble due to the emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle, features opposite leaf arrangement, compound leaves with seven to nine leaflets, and squatty terminal buds as well as a bud that dips down into the leaf scar, resembling a smiley face. The bark is gray and featured an interlacing network of ridges forming a diamond shape.
For more episodes of ID That Tree, follow the playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list....
For more resources including publications, K-12 curriculum, Ask an Expert, and FAQs visit Purdue Extension - Forestry and Natural Resources. https://www.purdue.edu/fnr/extension/
Can We Save Ash Trees from the Emerald Ash Borer? posted Aug 20, 2014 by Entomological Society of America on YouTube.
This was the winning video for the Outreach Category of the 2014 ESA YouTube Your Entomology contest. It was produced by David Showalter, a PhD student with the Department of Plant Pathology at The Ohio State University, and by Michael Falk, an MS student with the Department of Entomology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. An invasive beetle known as the emerald ash borer is threatening to eliminate ash trees from North American and European forests, but researchers at The Ohio State University and partner institutions are working to breed trees that can defend themselves.
Green Ash one of 100 trees on the Native Trees of Indiana River Walk at Purdue University Fort Wayne. Description: The most widely distributed of North American Ash, it is naturally found in swampy woods or on stream banks. Relatively free from insects and disease, and will grow in difficult conditions. Used in revegetation of strip mining areas. Leaves have 5 to 7 stalked leaflets. Many cultivars are available for landscape uses. The Emerald Ash Borer has been found in Indiana! This insect, accidentally introduced from Asia, is lethal to all native Ash species, and the potential for destruction of native Ash trees rivals that of Dutch Elm Disease on American Elm.
White Ash one of 100 trees on the Native Trees of Indiana River Walk at Purdue University Fort Wayne. Description: The tree that “powers our national pastime,” White Ash furnishes the wood from which Louisville Slugger baseball bats are crafted. Leaves have 5 to 7 stalked leaflets. Many cultivars are available for landscape uses. The Emerald Ash Borer has been found in Indiana! This insect, accidentally introduced from Asia, is lethal to all native Ash species, and the potential for destruction of native Ash trees rivals that of Dutch Elm Disease on American Elm. ID That Tree: White Ash on Forestry & Natural Resources at Purdue/frn/extension.edu.
Fort Wayne records benefit Purdue researchers in fighting emerald ash borer Doug Leduc, Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly, Tuesday, August 16, 2016 on Indiana Economic Digest. The first section of the article states: Fort Wayne started losing what eventually would amount to at least 15,000 trees to the emerald ash borer a decade ago. But, the city’s excellent records of the pest’s damage could help save up to 1 billion ash trees in other cities across the county. Records kept by the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department helped a five-member team at Purdue University predict the progression of ash decline over time and conclude that saving the trees early is less costly than replacing them. The team was led by Cliff Sadof, an entomology professor, and Matt Ginzel, an associate professor. It used Fort Wayne’s well-kept records because the Summit City was the first sizable community where trees were attacked by the pest after it arrived in Indiana in 2004. The first U.S. sighting of the beetle was in 2002 in Ohio. It was found in Fort Wayne in 2006 “when we were just figuring out how to control these things and were experimenting with treatments,” Sadof said. “At first we didn’t know how to protect the tree,” he said. “Then, we had to figure out how to do it and make it cost effective. We thought it was going to be a nightmare.”
Support Our Parks page at City of Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation states: TREE CANOPY REPLACEMENT: Our city has faced a major challenge resulting from the destructive effects of the Emerald Ash Borer. Our park strips and parks have lost tree canopy. This is a huge project and one that will not end until the ash tree population is replaced.
A couple of newspaper articles no longer online were City offers discount to remove street ash trees published April 04, 2013, and As a result of the emerald ash borer killing thousands of city ash trees. City crews have removed thousands of the ash trees that once lined the streets of Fort Wayne, but it could take years to remove the 5,000 that remain copied from City’s ash borer war approaching $3 million published August 16, 2013 both by Dan Stockman in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
Emerald Ash Borer -Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire is an exotic beetle that feeds on ash (Fraxinus sp.) trees. Larvae feed in the phloem and outer sapwood, producing galleries that eventually girdle and kill branches and entire trees. This native of Asia was first discovered in southeastern Michigan in July 2002. On April 21, 2004, EAB was confirmed in Indiana. Since that time, this forest pest has spread throughout Indiana and the surrounding states. EAB has been detected in all 92 counties. Copied from Emerald Ash Borer at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
The Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis or EAB) is responsible for the destruction of tens of millions of ash trees in 30 states. Native to Asia, it likely arrived in the United States hidden in wood packing materials. The first U.S. identification of Emerald Ash Borer was in southeastern Michigan in 2002. There are a variety of treatment options that can serve as a control measure for the EAB, but they are not a cure. Because pesticide regulations differ from State to State, homeowners should contact their State department of agriculture or local extension office for guidance. Copied from Emerald Ash Borer Beetle at Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The emerald ash borer (EAB) is the most destructive forest pest introduced into North America in recent history. Here in central Indiana we have seen an increase in ash mortality this year as evidenced by this photo from Hancock County. Trees that were in full leaf last summer are now dying, if not already dead. Homeowners should contact a professional arborist if they suspect EAB in their ash trees. Forest landowners can contact their District Forester for an initial assessment of the ash tree in their woods.
The invasive emerald ash borer has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees in North America since 2002.
Fortunately, a tiny parasitic wasp is a promising candidate for controlling the invasive, wood-boring pest. Click to learn more Wasp Recruited to Fight Emerald Ash Borer.
Despite its beautiful colors, the emerald ash borer is an invasive pest that has cost hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to trees.
Scientists with ARS are using two approaches to control this destructive pest: beneficial insects and a genetic technology called RNA interference. Learn more about our research in this area https://bit.ly/3mOOc87
Ash #trees are ecologically and economically important species in North America. Ash trees provide food and habitat for...
Ash #trees are ecologically and economically important species in North America. Ash trees provide food and habitat for wildlife and are widely planted in urban environments. They are also being devastated by an enemy smaller than a penny.
The emerald ash borer is one of the most destructive invasive species in North America. Read about it and how we’re fighting back at The future of ash trees.
Yesterday, a large ash tree on the east side of the Indiana Statehouse received a trunk injection for protection against invasive Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). Holes were drilled into the trunk of the tree and an insecticide was injected to kill any current or future EAB larvae tunneling inside. Without this treatment, this tree would die from the larvae’s consumption and destruction of its inner tissue in just a few years. For large urban trees like this, the consequences of its death could be very costly and dangerous. There is a lot to consider when deciding whether to treat an ash tree. Learn more at Should ash trees still be protected from emerald ash borer?!
American basswood Tilia americana - Linden trees
American basswood (Tilia americana), with its low-hanging branches. This native tree is found throughout the eastern United States. Interesting variations in the collection include including Carolina linden (T. americana var. caroliniana), Florida basswood (T. americana var. floridana), and white basswood (T. americana var. heterophylla). All three of these trees are closely related to American basswood. Copied from Linden CollectionLinden (Tilia) trees are large stately trees whose flowers have a distinct and beautiful scent at the Morton Arboretum.
Page 45 of the History of Allen County, Indiana. Publication date 1880 Publisher Kingman Brothers on Archive.org only mentions chestnut one time stating: The chestnut, so common throughout the United States in this latitude, is unknown here.
AMERICAN CHESTNUT BLIGHT - Greatest forest loss in history posted Nov 10, 2011 by Dean Cornett on YouTube There were once almost 4 billion American chestnuts and they were among the largest, tallest, and fastest-growing trees in the eastern forest. The wood was long-lasting, straight-grained, and suitable for furniture, fencing, and building. The nuts fed billions of birds and animals. It was almost a perfect tree - that is, until it was killed by a blight a century ago. That blight has been called the greatest ecological disaster to strike the world's forests in all of history. A tree that had survived all adversaries for 40 million years had disappeared within 40.
American Chestnut one of 100 trees on the Native Trees of Indiana River Walk at Purdue University Fort Wayne. Description: Once the dominant tree throughout the eastern deciduous forests of the United States where it grew to impressive dimensions of height and width. In the early 1900's, a fungal disease was introduced from Asia. By 1940, the mighty Chestnut trees had been decimated by this disease. The American Chestnut Cooperators' Foundation works toward developing blight-resistant American Chestnuts and biological controls against Chestnut Blight.
The American chestnut was once common in the Oak-Chestnut dry woodlands of the eastern United States. Chestnut blight – a fungal disease (introduced from trees from China) at the Bronx Zoo in New York in 1904 – killed approximately 3.5 billion American chestnut trees in less than 50 years. Chestnuts are considered functionally extinct because the blight fungus does not kill the tree's root system underground. American chestnuts attempt to survive by sending up stump sprouts that grow vigorously in logged or otherwise disturbed sites but inevitably succumb to the blight and die back to the ground. It is very rare to find even a stump sprout chestnut in the forest. Chestnuts were fast-growing, rot-resistant, and the wood was used to make cabin logs, barns, furniture, fence posts and railroad ties. Sweet, acorn-size nuts were prized by wildlife. Copied from a longer article Chestnut blight keeps trees from growing locally by Ricky Kemery published Nov 23, 2021 Updated Jun 3, 2022 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
Sometimes reaching a height of more than 100 feet tall with trunk diameters often well over 10 feet, the American chestnut was the giant of the eastern U.S. forests. There were once billions of them and their range stretched from Georgia and Alabama to Michigan, but the majestic tree was gone before forest science existed to document its role in the ecosystem. Notes left by early foresters including Gifford Pinchot, the founder and first chief of the USDA Forest Service, suggest that its ecological role was as impressive as the tree’s size [shown on cover of Realistic Restoration Targets] (PDF, 1.3 MB). Mature American chestnuts have been virtually extinct for decades. The tree’s demise started with something called ink disease in the early 1800s, which steadily killed chestnut in the southern portion of its range. The final blow happened at the turn of the 20th century when a disease called chestnut blight swept through Eastern forests. The disappearance of the chestnut launched a profound change in the structure and composition of eastern forests. Copied from a longer article What it Takes to Bring Back the Near Mythical American Chestnut Trees posted by Jane Hodgins, Public Affairs Specialist, Northern Research Station, USDA Forest Service in Forestry Jul 29, 2021 at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Finding a 70-foot tall, 50-years-old American chestnut (Castanea dentata) tree is practically unheard of, but in 2019 a hunter near Mt. Cuba Center on the Coverdale Farm Preserve found such a rarity. Mt. Cuba arborist, Eric Kelley, climbed the tree to collect pollen samples that, as of August 2022, confirmed the tree is 100 percent American chestnut – a cause for major celebration as finds like this are not only incredibly rare, but provide researchers with an invaluable information source. WHYY covered the news and recently released this article describing the find: Eagle-eyed Delaware hunter chances upon ‘holy grail’ of tree lovers — full-grown American chestnut.
Mt. Cuba collaborates with The American Chestnut Foundation and some of their affiliates, like Tyler Arboretum and Delaware Nature Society, to grow American chestnuts in hopes of one day establishing healthy populations. In Mt. Cuba’s natural lands there is an American/Chinese chestnut backcross orchard, and there are progeny of the Coverdale chestnut growing in our greenhouses. If you want to learn more about what Mt. Cuba does to support American chestnut conservation, read our American chestnut blog here: Conserving the American Chestnut
It used to be a common occurrence seeing a mature American chestnut (Castanea dentata) in eastern Ohio. It was a common tree prior to the 20th century and important food source for numerous animals, including the extinct passenger pigeon. This would all change at the turn of the century when the chestnut blight was accidentally introduced from Asia. It raced across the eastern US and by 1950 an estimated 4 billion chestnuts were gone and the tree reproductively went almost extinct.
Today, it’s not uncommon to find stump sprouts in the eastern half of Ohio but a mature fruit-producing tree is extremely rare. The blight uses various oak species as a host and frequently attacks and kills back resprouted chestnuts.
Featured here is one of Ohio’s largest and most impressive remaining chestnuts. It’s a treat to see the ground covered in its distinctive spiky burrs this time of year. Unfortunately, chestnuts require cross-pollination and this lonely solo tree’s burrs produce aborted nuts. It persists and offers a glimpse to our state's past.
The American Chestnut Oak tree was the pride of the Appalachian Mountains. Among the most common and tallest trees of the mountains from Maine to Mississippi. These people depended on these tress for their livelihood and way of life. Thanks for watching. NOTE: Some pictures are just to tell the story and not the actual pictures.
“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire” is the opening lyric to the Christmas song written by Mel Tormé and made famous by Nat King Cole.
Have you ever had roasted chestnuts? This Christmas treat was very popular throughout much of the Eastern United States in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Perhaps the Hensleys and the Gibbons treated themselves to this holiday food during cold winters at the settlement. Chestnuts grew plentiful on top of the Cumberland Mountain.
In fact, when Sherman Hensley first arrived on the mountain in 1903, the American Chestnut dominated the landscape. The families used the wood for building materials, and the nuts as food for their livestock. The hogs and sheep loved the chestnuts, and—most likely—so did the families!
Sadly, the American chestnut trees at Hensley Settlement fell victim to the same blight that killed chestnuts throughout the country.
Originating from a fungus that first arrived in New York City in 1904, the blight spread throughout North America, killing most of the chestnut trees within 40 years. The blight was devastating for many a homesteading family, including the inhabitants of Hensley Settlement: they not only lost an important building material, but also a food source.
As Sherman Hensley later recalled, “the hogs never tasted the same after the blight.”
Nat King Cole - "The Christmas Song" November 24, 2017 on YouTube
Nat King Cole performing his holiday classic, "The Christmas Song." Copyright King Cole Partners, LLC. Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose, Yuletide carols being sung by a choir, And folks dressed up like Eskimos - go to rest of the Lyrics
American Elm tree
The Story of the American Elm posted Apr 23, 2020 by Wake County, North Carolina on YouTube Park staff had originally planned to hold a program for Arbor Day, which is being celebrated on April 24th. We planned to explore the history of this special day; examine the importance of trees to daily life; look at some of the threats facing trees today; and take a walk to see different notable trees in the park. With April programs now cancelled, we wanted to share part of that program with you through this video about the American elm tree that can be found in the park mill yard. We hope you will enjoy it!
American Elm one of 100 trees on the Native Trees of Indiana River Walk at Purdue University Fort Wayne. Description: Once used extensively as a street tree, in its best form American Elm is vase-shaped and strongly arched above with drooping branches. Dutch Elm Disease, a wilt fungus introduced from Europe in the 1930’s and spread by Elm Bark Beetles, caused the devastation of most trees, and continues to cause losses among remaining trees.
The first Big Tree Champion American Elm was crowned in 2024 in Vigo County at 182 inches in circumference, 110 feet wide, and 120 feet tall from a July 9, 2024 post on Facebook.
HISTORY JOURNAL // Aug. 10, 1956 // Workers remove an elm tree on Nuttman Avenue. The dead tree was among hundreds that had to be removed as Dutch elm disease spread through the city.
Dutch elm disease is caused from a fungus carried on the bodies of beetles. It has wiped out the elms in many large cities in the East. Only one case was noted here in 1949; two in 1950; four each in 1951 and 1952; and three in 1953. In 1954 the department discovered 23 dead elms and in 1955, some 334 were removed! Yesterday [August 9, 1956] it was reported than 198 trees have had to be removed thus far this season. There were an estimated 14,000 elms in the city. Copied Aug. 10, 1956: Taking down an elm tree by Corey McMaken with a photo showing an elm tree being cut down.
HISTORY JOURNAL // July 19, 1969: Crews work to remove a dead tree. Thousands of trees were removed starting in the 1950s as Dutch elm disease spread through the area.
In 1959 alone, 1,328 elms were removed, including 1,081 along streets, according to a 1960 Journal Gazette story. In 1959, staff was added and new mechanical equipment was bought to help in the fight, such as a mobile aerial tower for the removal of tree limbs. The first three years of the battle cost the city about $120,000, according to the 1960 JG story. Copied from a longer article Elm disease consumed decades Corey McMaken.
The American Elm (Elmba americana), a large deciduous tree known for its wide-spread canopy and doubly-toothed leaves, used to be an iconic tree species in the United States, and is the next tree in the #50tressofindiana. It was often planted in parks, scattered on campuses, and along roads and streets for its glorious encompassing shade and beauty.
Unfortunately, their wide existence has dwindled, largely thanks to the devastation of Dutch Elm Disease (DED). (This disease is not of Dutch origin; rather, the pathologists who worked on researching the disease were Dutch.) DED has killed hundreds of thousands of native elms across the US. The fungus Ophiostoma novo-ulmi (good luck pronouncing that!) causes the disease and spreads via elm bark beetles. DED slowly kills the tree by clogging the tree's water-conducting vessels, which leads to wilt, yellowing leaves, and eventually, death.
The good news is that disease-resistant elm cultivars and hybrids are available or being developed, such as 'Princeton' and 'Valley Forge'. Hopefully, in time, the elm population will return to solid numbers, as it is once again being used to line our streets and fill our yards, parks, and campuses (selectively, of course).
*Fifty Common Trees of Indiana was written by the late T.E. Shaw (with help from the extension forestry staff of Purdue University); it includes 51 trees (not 50 as the title would have you believe) common to Indiana. He wrote this booklet for "Hoosiers who want to become acquainted with Indiana trees." We hope that includes you.
American plum. Native tree, small in stature. Alternate leaf arrangement. Flowers smell fragrant. Not to be confused with non-native Callery pear trees that do not belong here and invade our natural areas, and smell of fish. Protrusions on the American plum are not real thorns, but are sharp and may feel like thorns.
Another type of swamp, a bald cypress swamp, occurs in far southwestern Indiana. Like most natural features, it is not as common today as it once was. Bald cypress is the near the natural northern limit of bald cypress in the world. Twin Swamps Nature Preserve is a great place to see this this type of swamp, complete with a boardwalk. It’s like being in Florida or Louisiana.
Eastern Red Cedar - Juniperus virginiana
Seeds are spread by birds. Very common in old cemeteries and open areas that are not mowed or otherwise maintained.
The female cones of Juniperus virginiana, known by many as eastern red cedar, are turning their characteristic blue color and "popping' out in the scenery right now. These tiny cones are favored food for many species of birds and other wildlife. This stand was so heavily covered in cones that from a distance it looked like snow cover.
Eastern Red Cedar While in the grip of winter we thought it might be fun to take a deeper look at Ohio’s native...
While in the grip of winter we thought it might be fun to take a deeper look at Ohio’s native conifers. These specialized trees are popular during the cold, snowy months for keeping their needles or scale-like leaves year-round and providing a bit of color on the landscape.
Our next featured conifer is the eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana). This is hands down our most common species of conifer in Ohio. It occurs throughout the entire state in a wide variety of open habitats. Red cedars were much more uncommon before European settlement in Ohio and were mostly restricted to bluffs, cliffs, and other open, rocky habitats. Once the land was cleared red cedar began to spread rapidly, especially from birds spreading their attractive blue berry-like cones.
Red cedar is easy to identify by its evergreen spiky foliage, glaucous blue cones, and shredding bark. The leaves on younger trees/branches have sharp-pointed tips that are quick to prick while older leaves/branches tend to be more crowded and appressed. Red cedar is a dioecious species meaning there are separate male and female trees. Males release their pollen in early spring with the females bearing the mature blue cones later in the year. Red cedar bark is rather fibrous and often comes off in long strips. The heartwood is treasured lumber for its gorgeous pink-red color and very pleasing aroma.
Despite having the common name of ‘cedar’, the red cedar is actually a juniper and closely related to the desert southwest and mountain west’s juniper species. Red cedar can be a long-lived tree and grow into beautiful forms reminiscent of the mammoth giant sequoias of California.
Stay tuned for our next featured native conifer!
I MADE IT TO BIG TREE #200 and this is likely my 11th state champion find as it would blow the current one out of the...
I MADE IT TO BIG TREE #200 and this is likely my 11th state champion find as it would blow the current one out of the water. We'll see what the head of the program says. A BIG Eastern Red Cedar((Juniperus virginiana) 131" circumference(3.5' diameter) with an average crown spread of 41.5' and stands at a pretty amazing 62.1' tall. This was a good find!
All trees in tonight's post located at Oakridge cemetery in Marshall MI(Calhoun County)
Flowering Dogwood Tree - Cornus florida
Flowering dogwood is a small to medium woodland understory tree, native throughout most of the eastern United States. Showy white, red, or pink flowering bracts appear before the leaves in early spring. Dark green summer foliage turns a brilliant reddish-purple in fall. It is sensitive to adverse soil and environmental conditions such as road salt and pollution. Best planted in acidic soil. Copied from Flowering dogwood Cornus florida at Morton Arboretum.
For the past 54 years, the Orleans community has celebrated the blooming of the dogwood trees with a festival the last full week of April. This year's 54th annual Dogwood Festival will begin this weekend April 20 and will runs through April 27.
In the early 1960s, the Village Improvement Society, under the direction of Elizabeth "Bill" Wheeler, began planting dogwood trees along the town streets, in Congress Square and around the town's cemeteries.
Then in 1965, the town celebrated its Sesquicentennial. Following the Sesquicentennial, local leaders needed to find a new focus. Kate Noblitt envisioned an annual festival based on the blooming of the dogwoods. Her effort led to the annual festival and Orleans being named to Dogwood Capital of Indiana.
So each spring, Orleans residents are joined by former residents and other area citizens in marking the Dogwood Festival. The fickle spring weather sometimes plays havoc with events. But every year since 1968 there has been a festival.
[ Orleans, Orange County, Indiana population 2,142 in the 2010 census, Orleans Dogwood Festival on Facebook ]
Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgo at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, suburb of Chicago, Illinois. Ginkgo is a hardy, pest-resistant, and attractive large tree. It has unusual fan-shaped leaves that turn vivid yellow in fall. Only male trees should be purchased, as the females produce seeds with a soft, fruitlike covering that can be messy and have a potent odor.
Ginkgo at the Mayo Clinic. Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) is one of the oldest living tree species. Most ginkgo products are made with extract prepared from its fan-shaped leaves. The most helpful components of ginkgo are believed to be flavonoids, which have powerful antioxidant qualities, and terpenoids, which help improve circulation by dilating blood vessels and reducing the "stickiness" of platelets. Ginkgo is commonly available as an oral tablet, extract, capsule or tea. Don't eat raw or roasted ginkgo seeds, which can be poisonous.
Ginkgo Biloba at the National Library of Medicine. Ginkgo biloba is one of the most commonly used herbal supplements used in the world.
Ginkgo biloba Ginkgo biloba, commonly known as ginkgo or gingko (/ˈɡɪŋkoʊ, ˈɡɪŋkɡoʊ/ GINK-oh, -goh), also known as the maidenhair tree, is a species of gymnosperm tree native to East Asia. It is the last living species in the order Ginkgoales, which first appeared over 290 million years ago, and fossils very similar to the living species, belonging to the genus Ginkgo, extend back to the Middle Jurassic epoch approximately 170 million years ago. The tree was cultivated early in human history and remains commonly planted, and is widely regarded as a living fossil. Ginkgo leaf extract is commonly used as a dietary supplement, but there is insufficient clinical evidence that it supports human health or is effective against any disease. At Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
Ginkgo biloba GIANT at a small cemetery outside of Prospect, Ohio..🌳🇺🇸🌳💪🌳 203" in circumference 74' tall 82' average crown spread
Ginkgo biloba GIANT at a small cemetery outside of Prospect, Ohio..
203" in circumference
74' tall
82' average crown spread
Oaks
The Nature of Oaks with Doug Tallamy July 29, 2022 New York Botanical Garden on YouTube Oaks support more species of life than any other tree genus in North America, sustaining everything from acorn-collecting woodpeckers to caterpillars that dazzle like jewels. In his latest book, The Nature of Oaks, award-winning author Doug Tallamy shares insights from his study of these superior trees and details how and why they do more than other shade trees to support animal diversity, protect watersheds, and sequester carbon dioxide. Join us as we explore how returning more of these essential trees to green spaces will help restore ecological integrity to our human-dominated landscapes.
Doug Tallamy, Ph.D., is Professor of Agriculture in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. Chief among his research goals is to better understand the many ways insects interact with plants and how such interactions determine the diversity of animal communities. Tallamy is a prolific researcher and the author of many books, including Bringing Nature Home, The Living Landscape, Nature’s Best Hope, and his latest The Nature of Oaks.
Tree Profile: White Oak:
Adapted to zones 3-9, the White Oak (Quercus alba) is a large oak tree reaching heights of 60-100 feet and a mature width of 50-80ft. Before you decide to plant this species, be sure you have room if you decide to plant it.
This fruit has been around since Pangea! Yep, that’s right! Since all the continents were one large landmass! They actually evolved before the honeybee, thus they are pollinated by flies and beetles.
So, technically it’s an ancient fruit
The Paw Paw is one of my favorite fall treats! Plus, it is a good source of many vitamins, minerals. It is even a great source of B vitamins, Calcium, and Iron
Have you ever enjoyed a Paw Paw? Tell us your experience in the comments!
We grow more than corn in Wabash County. These are PAW PAWS (technical [scientific] name is Asimina triloba) also called INDIANA BANANAS. Its that time of the year again when they begin to ripen. Indiana Bananas are ripening and are bigger and better than last year. Known as paw paws they are a yellowish green to brownish black tropical fruit found right here in Indiana. Some say they taste like a banana with a hint of mango and melon. Other claim they are more like a papaya, pear, or pineapple. One taste tester said it tastes like “sour, banana flavored custard.” You decide. Found in "patches" in shady, rich bottom land. the tree can get up to 40 feet with large leaves that point to the ground in clusters. Paw Paw Creek and Paw Paw Township are named for them. Some of you may remember an old song "Pickin' up paw paws put them in a basket," well this is where the song came from. The fruit does not travel well so you will probably never find them in a store. Seeds of the Paw Paw have been found in early Native American archeological sites.
Ginger Jagger recalls" I remember as a young girl going paw paw picking. Our dad drove out in the country somewhere and me and my sisters filled our pockets full of them. I got hot going home and took off my jacket, forgot I had paw paws and sat on my jacket!" Keith Snyder adds
"Good luck finding them. The squirrels and deer eat 'em as fast as they get ripe"
WPD 9-19-1908 “Hoosier bananas are being picked. They are of remarkable size and are delicious.”
Today is National Paw Paw Day! We celebrate the amazing pawpaw. Pawpaw is the most northern member of the family Annonaceae, custard-apple family.
This deciduous, subcanopy tree forms colonies "pawpaw patch" in rich woods, occurring on stream terraces, lower slopes and mid to upper slopes on north and east facing slopes.
The purplish-red flowers bloom from April to May and release a "yeasty" odor to attract beetles.
Pawpaw is most famous for its fruit which is the largest native fruit in North America. In recent decades there has been more interest in the cultivation of pawpaw as a food source. The Paw Paw Festival near Athens, Ohio has become a popular event featuring many different uses of the fruit.
Most species in this family occur in the sub-tropics and tropics. In Ohio it occurs in every county. It is not difficult to find a colony of this beautiful tree, but it is hard to find the fruit.
Pawpaws are affectionately nicknamed “Hoosier bananas,” though the flavor is more a blend of banana, pineapple, melon and mango. Check out these fascinating facts about indigenous tropical fruit!
Today is National Pawpaw Day! Pawpaws (Asimina triloba) belong to the custard apple plant family, Annonaceae, members of which are found mostly in tropical regions. The pawpaw is North America’s largest native edible fruit. It looks like a small mango and has a creamy texture and tropical taste that is often compared to bananas. The tropical reference doesn't stop at fruit flavor though, the plant’s large, glossy leaves stand out in the garden and lend the tree an exotic look. Have you ever tried a pawpaw?
Red Bud
Some trees and plants have a flair for the dramatic 🌸 When spring arrives, they take center stage and put on quite a...
Some trees and plants have a flair for the dramatic
When spring arrives, they take center stage and put on quite a show by flowering and growing fruit from their main stems or woody trunks rather than from new growth and shoots. This head-turning process is called cauliflory and it’s not only delightfully surprising but incredibly beautiful.
Cue the applause.
Silver Maple - Acer saccharinum
* Drought tolerant. Grows rapidly which produces weak wood. Prone to storm damage. Creates weed seedlings. From the Fort Wayne Plant List.
Let’s talk about street trees and Fort Wayne’s tree canopy
In the Northside area, there are a lot of large, over-mature Silver Maples that are simply a liability at this point. Many of these are older trees that hang over the public right-of-way, so that’s what makes them subject to removal, and we only remove them when we believe they present a risk to public safety.
One big reason for Silver Maples is their age. I haven’t met the arborist from Fort Wayne who has admitted to planting Silver Maples yet. But one story I’ve heard is: After World War II, soldiers didn’t have jobs, and one task was planting trees along city streets. So people would drive pickup trucks full of seedlings and put them into the ground wherever they saw a spot. So you now have streets lined with these trees that were planted about 75 years ago, and many of them are becoming over-mature, perhaps faster than another species of tree would. Silver Maples can live up to 130-150 years, but most in urban settings, they live between 35-100 years. Unfortunately, they’re reaching their limits, and in areas where they’re plentiful, they’re coming down all at once.
The USGS, of course!
This tree canopy data produced by the 
