Beloved 600-year-old tree that witnessed history taken down
BERNARDS, N.J. -- Memories are all that remain of a 600-year-old white oak tree that was believed to be among the oldest of its kind in the nation.
Workers finished removing the tree -- which had a circumference of 18 feet and a branch spread of roughly 150 feet wide -- from the grounds of the Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church in Bernards on Wednesday. About 50 people clapped and cheered and the church's bells rang as the tree's large stump was pulled out.
The tree was declared dead after it began showing rot and weakness during the last couple of years.
When it's life cycle ran out, the church began taking down the tree to prevent it from falling on its own and damaging the Revolutionary War headstones below it.
Arborists say the tree's death was likely due to its age. They don't believe it would have withstood additional storms.
The removal process started Monday, but no work was performed Tuesday due to heavy rain and winds.
For centuries, locals and visitors alike used the tree as a backdrop for pictures and as a landmark for driving directions.
According to CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman, George Washington walked past it. Some of his soldiers are buried under it. The tree even predates Columbus.
While the beloved tree may be gone, it's arguably fair to say that it won't be forgotten. Remarkably, another white oak cultivated from the old tree's acorns, which were recently planted.
The church says it will keep the tree's stump and memorialize its life with a plaque.
