600 year-old oak that George Washington picnicked under is dying...

[Ricky8443]

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/...ite-oak-trees-in-the-county-may-be-dying.html

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Awesome looking tree, thanks for posting

 

[Stinkpickle]

Sad...but it's certainly lived a nice, long life.

 

[Lake Girl]

Thanks for the article. Hopefully they can come up with a plan to keep it thriving. If not, the wood could be used in positive and commemorative ways as was mentioned in the linked article about the tree in Salem.

 

[gzecc]

This tree is in the next town east of me. Unfortunately most couldn't tell you when or who fought in the american revolution. Its a great tree and amazing piece of local history.

 

[Ashful]

Chainsaw and trailer ready.

It's a shame to see such a beautiful old tree go, bu I guess all things must pass. Hearing that George Washington picnicked under the tree might seem something extraordinary to those outside our area, but he spent several years bouncing all over our area during the war, so this is nothing particularly rare. He slept in two different houses once owned by my family, in December 1776, having planned the famous Christmas day battle of Trenton in the dining room of the first. Many others with family history in this area have similar stories.

 

[gzecc]

Chainsaw and trailer ready.

It's a shame to see such a beautiful old tree go, bu I guess all things must pass. Hearing that George Washington picnicked under the tree might seem something extraordinary to those outside our area, but spent several years bouncing all over our area during the war, so this is nothing particularly rare. He slept in two different houses once owned by my family, in December 1776, having planned the famous Christmas day battle of Trenton in the dining room of the first. Many others with family history in this area have similar stories.

Wow, talk about dropping names! That's impressive.

 

[Lake Girl]

Chainsaw and trailer ready.

It's a shame to see such a beautiful old tree go, bu I guess all things must pass. Hearing that George Washington picnicked under the tree might seem something extraordinary to those outside our area, but he spent several years bouncing all over our area during the war, so this is nothing particularly rare. He slept in two different houses once owned by my family, in December 1776, having planned the famous Christmas day battle of Trenton in the dining room of the first. Many others with family history in this area have similar stories.

Ashful, is the house you're in one of the old family homes? I know from pics you've posted, it's old but does it have the storied history?

 

[Fred Wright]

I recall reading about a local village green legacy oak dying sometime back. Certainly sad to see. As the story went it was thought that the tree was over a century old when Dutch setters occupied the area.

The county contracted with a cabinetmaker to have a desk made from the lumber for the mayor's office. The remains were turned into a variety of items; lamp bases, gavels for the courthouse, sign boards etc.

 

[Ashful]

Ashful, is the house you're in one of the old family homes? I know from pics you've posted, it's old but does it have the storied history?

Nope. This house was built and owned by the same family 1773 - 1922, and I know many of their descendants today. They're one of the handful of families that originally settled this area in 1727, when the Mennonites fled Europe for the "New World". The member of that family who had my house built was elected minister of the local church, by lots. His grandfather was one of the founding trustees of that church, started 1727 and still healthy today. Fascinating history, but not mine!

The oldest known structure on this property was 1738, and I believe one corner of that older house may have been incorporated into our current house.