Death of one of America's oldest residents
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The ClubHouse: Archives: Death of one of America's oldest residents

Ocean_Islands

Friday, June 07, 2002 - 09:25 am EditMoveDeleteIP
A sad day in Maryland: the nation's largest and oldest oak tree was destroyed by a storm in Maryland last night.

Storms Down Maryland's Wye Oak

By Tracey A. Reeves and Hamil R. Harris
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, June 7, 2002; Page B01


The beloved Wye Oak, Maryland's centuries-old state tree, was felled yesterday by powerful thunderstorms that also downed power lines throughout the Washington area. The storm also ushered in a cold front that promised comfortable temperatures and less humidity.

The storms, which brought at least one tornado sighting in the far reaches of the region, came less than 24 hours after rains and winds damaged dozens of homes in Prince George's County and lightning struck the Maryland State House in Annapolis. Yesterday's storms left about 20,000 homes in the District, Maryland and Northern Virginia without power.

On Maryland's Eastern Shore, a storm felled the Wye Oak, the nation's largest white oak, which stood 96 feet tall and had a circumference of 31 feet, 10 inches.

"I was deeply saddened tonight to learn of the loss of one of our state's most historic, beautiful and stately natural resources," Gov. Parris N. Glendening (D) said in a statement. "For more than 450 years, the Wye Oak has stood strong and tall, surviving winds, drought and diseases of nature, and even more remarkably, the human threats of chain saws and global warming."

It wasn't clear whether the state symbol was toppled by winds or by lightning, said John Surrick of the state Department of Natural Resources. The tree, in the Talbot County village of Wye Mills, had been in decline for many years, he added.

Francis Gouin, a retired chairman of the University of Maryland's horticulture department, said last night that he had taken students to see the stately white oak for almost 30 years.

"The thing was very, very broad," said Gouin, 64, who first visited the tree in 1962. "You had to step down the road to appreciate its dimension."

The tree was also "perfectly rotten" on the inside, he added. "Four people could sit down and play cards inside the Wye Oak. You can put up a card table, sit on the ground and play cards."

After a storm tore a large limb off the tree in 1953, Maryland's governor had the wood fashioned into gavels for state judges. Last night, the fallen giant, its trunk snapped at the base, blocked Route 662.

Although the Wye Oak is gone, its descendants live on. The state forest service grows seedlings from its acorns that are sold around the world, and workers from the Department of Natural Resources were taking cuttings from the tree last night to graft onto root stock.

"We're trying to get some additional genetic stock going," Surrick said. "We're hopeful that we can save the genes of the tree."

Yesterday's storms, which began in midafternoon and stretched from the northern Chesapeake Bay in a continuous line through Richmond, also brought heavy rain. Residents in some areas, including Brandywine in southern Prince George's County, reported hail, according to Andy Woodcock, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Downed power lines and lightning caused buildings in several counties to catch fire, but the blazes were put out quickly, and no injuries were reported.

"Much as our engineers want to brag, Ben Franklin beat them to the punch," joked Rick Pecora, an assistant secretary at the state Department of General Services.

Franklin designed the 28-foot-tall, 2 1/2-inch-thick wrought-iron rod that has stood atop the State House for two centuries. Thanks to the State House's sturdy construction, damage House was minimal, amounting to a few blown fuses and a broken heat detector.

The Wye Oak wasn't as fortunate. Gouin, the retired horticulture professor, wondered what the state would do about an honorary state tree.

"I don't know a white oak that comes anywhere close in size," said Gouin, who last visited the Wye Oak two weeks ago. "I don't know what they're going to do."

From the Washington Post

Sia

Friday, June 07, 2002 - 03:14 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Wow, is there a photo to accompany this article? If so, I'd like to see it. I can't imagine how HUGE the tree must be!

Ocean_Islands

Friday, June 07, 2002 - 05:45 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Wye Oak

Wye Oak 2

Sia

Friday, June 07, 2002 - 07:35 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks, OI. Any photo of the fallen tree, too? Truly a beautiful tree, wonderfully shaped. If they cut it up to make furniture, it would probably fetch a nice price--and would help to commemorate the tree while raising money for the state.