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TT: Famous trees
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Hi Treetowners!
Almost Happy New Year!
The following bit about a famous tree was sent to the LARCH-L list, where
that first question about famous trees was raised. I thought she posed some
interesting questions at the end.
Cheers,
Mary
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>Date: Mon, 29 Dec 1997 15:41:37 -0400
>From: Virginia Russell <russelvl@EMAIL.UC.EDU>
>Subject: tree
>
>There is an osage orange ("hedgeapple," maclura pomifera) well over two
>hundred years old in my home town of Harrodsburg, Kentucky (first
>permanent white settlement west of the Alleghenies, established 1774 by
>colleagues of Daniel Boone). It is within the Old Fort Harrod State Park,
>which is a replica pioneer fort with several monuments on the grounds,
>including one of the first to honor FDR, the original Lincoln marriage
>chapel, and an intact white settler cemetary. The tree itself is
>considered a monument and receives bonsai-like care. I have no reference
>handy to confirm or refute that this tree is a native of the region;
>perhaps someone else on the list can confirm this.
>
>That this osage orange, considered by most to be a messy nuisance and an
>invasive weed with only moderately redeeming utilitarian value, has
>survived the intense development of the area is a sort of testament. The
>only signage referring to it gives an interpretation of its history as a
>landmark (the sign is a typical, universal historic marker/plaque on a
>post). It is the only tree shading a broad, grassy area with a few
>scattered benches; it is striking to see this tree as a mature, pampered,
>admired specimen when it is typically a scrubby hedgerow plant. It has a
>magnificent canopy and many generations of tourists and locals have learned
>to climb trees on its forgiving limbs (including myself). It is interesting
>in these sue-happy times that climbing this tree is not discouraged in any
>way, and I wonder if the same is true of other trees described here: in
>what ways are the other trees marked and experienced? This osage orange
>is not "old" by some standards, and it is not "sacred" by others, but it
>does enjoy an enduring protection and affection from many who might not
>otherwise consider themselves "tree huggers."
>
>****************************************************
>please note my new email address virginia.russell@uc.edu
>
>* Virginia Lockett Russell, FASLA
> Assistant Professor of Architecture
> School of Architecture and Interior Design
> University of Cincinnati
> PO Box 210016
> Cincinnati, OH 45221-0016 USA
> phone 513-556-1135
> fax 513-556-3288
>****************************************************
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