Murfreesboro, TN - After extensive efforts to preserve the sycamore tree that stands at the southeast corner at the Rutherford County Historic Courthouse, it is scheduled to be removed during the first week of November 2024. The WGNS News team was feeling whimsical, and penned a tribute to the tree. Please share your memories of the tree.
Ode To A Dying Sycamore - The story of the sycamore tree at the Rutherford County Historic Courthouse is both poignant and reflective of the passage of time. Trees, like silent witnesses, carry within them the echoes of generations—stories etched into their rings, roots reaching deep into the soil of memory.
This venerable sycamore, standing sentinel at the southeast corner, has borne witness to 175 years of history on the square. Imagine the seasons it has seen—the unfurling of spring leaves, the dappled shade it cast on warm summer afternoons, the fiery hues of autumn, and the stark branches against winter skies. Each year, it silently marked the passing of time, its rings recording both growth and adversity.
The efforts to preserve it—the work of the “Tree Whisperer”—were valiant. The root collar excavation process held promise, a chance to rejuvenate tired soil and give the sycamore renewed vitality. Exposing the root collar was like revealing hidden wisdom—a secret whispered by the earth itself. But alas, even the most skilled hands couldn’t shield it from the harshness of winter.
And so, with a heavy heart, we prepare to say goodbye. The oldest living thing on the square will soon be removed, leaving an empty space—a void that can’t be filled by bricks or mortar. It’s a loss that tugs at our collective memory, a reminder that living things, despite their resilience, don’t endure forever.
As the sycamore bows gracefully to its fate, let us honor its legacy. Let us remember the shade it offered, the stories it silently held, and the countless souls who passed beneath its boughs. And perhaps, in its absence, we’ll find inspiration to plant new seeds—both literal and metaphorical—so that the cycle of life and memory continues.
If you have any other reflections or thoughts, feel free to share.
"The Rest of the Story" - The sycamore tree is the last surviving of four trees originally planted on the corners of the courthouse by Alfred, Isaac, and Austin Miller in or around 1850. The tree was 5-10 years old when it was planted on the courthouse grounds, so its age is from 179-184 years old.
After years of effort to preserve and save the ailing tree, they included bringing in nationally renowned arborist Rob Kraker, who is a member of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). The county hoped that the “Tree Whisperer” could infuse new life to the beloved sycamore with a root collar excavation process. This process was to invigorate the soil and reduce compaction in an urban environment. Chances were greater for the tree to thrive if the root collar was exposed. However, the harsh winter proved to be too much for the senior sycamore. Most recent inspections of the tree have proven dismal regarding its end of life. Last year, during a severe thunderstorm, wind damaged the tree, causing a sizable limb to fall, creating a large divot in the ground. Branches and limbs removed during the last pruning were rotten, decayed, and hollow.
Rutherford County Historian Greg Tucker in his book “Remembering Rutherford” published in 2010 devoted a chapter to the tree titled the Courthouse Sycamore. At the time of that writing Tucker measured the circumference at four feet up the trunk at 16 and one-half feet. The tree was acknowledged and honored by the Rutherford County Historical Society at their 2023 awards banquet as the local citizen that made the most contribution.
“The tree was the oldest living thing on the square, the Courthouse Sycamore evidences our community’s legacy and expansive history,” Tucker said. “ It has seen 175 years of history on the square. It’s a sad loss but living things don’t live forever.”
Mayor Joe Carr has instructed the Facility Maintenance Department and the arborists to obtain grafts from the current tree in an effort to maintain the genetic line in future saplings to create a genetically identical sycamore tree. A replacement tree will be placed in the sycamore’s place until the new genetic line is able to be planted in the spot which should take roughly 10-12 years. Any good wood from the historic sycamore will be salvaged and made into furniture to be placed in a museum.
“We are losing a very dear friend to the entire county. We’ve spent a lot of money last year trying to save the tree as it’s not suited for an urban environment, it’s old; because everything has a beginning, middle and an end,” Carr said during his monthly interview with WGNS Bart Walker in August.
After extensive efforts to preserve the sycamore tree that stands at the southeast corner at the Rutherford County Historic Courthouse, it is scheduled to be removed during the first week of November 2024.
“The tree was the oldest living thing on the square, the Courthouse Sycamore evidences our community’s legacy and expansive history,”
“Tree Whisperer” could infuse new life to the beloved sycamore with a root collar excavation process. This process was to invigorate the soil and reduce compaction in an urban environment. Chances were greater for the tree to thrive if the root collar was exposed. However, the harsh winter proved to be too much for the senior sycamore.
“ It has seen 175 years of history on the square. It’s a sad loss but living things don’t live forever.”
Share Memories of the Sycamore - Perhaps your memories deal with the whittlers, Uncle Dave or maybe the "big question" was asked under that tree. If you're reading this on social media, place your comments below. You can also email them to news@wgnsradio.com
Past (Recent) News Stories About the Tree:
