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Linden Oak

Linden Oak
Photo of Linden Oak in May 2007
Linden Oak, May 2007
Map
SpeciesWhite oak (Quercus alba)
LocationNorth Bethesda, Maryland
Coordinates39°01′22″N 77°06′08″W / 39.0227679167°N 77.1022224444°W / 39.0227679167; -77.1022224444
Date seededc. 1718; 306 years ago (1718)[1]
Date felledJuly 18, 2023 (2023-07-18)[2]
CustodianMaryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission[1]

The Linden Oak was a large white oak tree in North Bethesda, Maryland, beside the junction of Rockville Pike and Rock Creek Park's Beach Drive.

Believed to have been seeded around 1718, the white oak was among the country's oldest. It was 97 feet (30 m) with a crown spread of 132 feet (40 m) when measured by the Maryland Big Tree Program in February 2008.[3] The tree died in 2022 and was removed in July 2023.[2]

Significance

The tree was seeded around 1718, according to a 1978 assessment of the tree's historic value for the Maryland Historic Trust.[1] The origin of the name "Linden Oak" is unknown.

In 1976, the state's Maryland Bicentennial Commission proclaimed the oak a Maryland Bicentennial Tree because it "stood its ground, survived the American Revolution, and continues to serve an appreciative nation."[4]

In the early 1980s, planners of the Washington Metro transit line changed the planned course of the Red Line to spare the tree at an estimated cost of $2 to 4 million.[5]

In 2020, the tree lost an enormous branch.[5] By spring 2022, the tree had died, at an estimated age of more than 300 years.[6]

On June 10, 2023, officials said that the tree would be removed during the week of June 12, 2023, citing safety concerns. Local government and civic groups discussed with the park service ways to honor the Linden Oak's place in the community history.[7][citation needed] They decided that the tree's lower trunk would remain onsite as a memorial after its removal, and a portion of the tree's wood would be made into a sculpture by a local chainsaw artist.[6] Montgomery Parks postponed the removal until early to mid-July pending a Historic Area Work Permit.[8][9]

The tree was removed on July 18, 2023.[2] A part of the felled Linden Oak was carved into a bench by local "chainsaw artist" Colin Vale. It was installed at Ken-Gar Palisades Park in nearby Kensington in December 2023.[10]

  • The Linden Oak Tree 2020
    The Linden Oak Tree 2020
  • The dead Linden Oak on July 2, 2023, shortly before it was removed
    The dead Linden Oak on July 2, 2023, shortly before it was removed
  • The stump of the Linden Oak on July 19, 2023, after the bulk of the tree was removed
    The stump of the Linden Oak on July 19, 2023, after the bulk of the tree was removed

Plaques

The Linden Oak is acknowledged by three on-site plaques.

  • The first plaque, placed in July 1976 by the Maryland Bicentennial Commission and the Maryland Forest Service, celebrates the "Maryland Bicentennial Tree" for its great age.[1][11]
  • The second plaque, placed by the Montgomery County Department of Parks (also 1976) celebrates the "Linden Oak" as "the fourth largest of its species in the state of Maryland and the largest in Montgomery County". An age of over 250 years, height of over 95 feet (29 m) and crown spread of over 132 feet (40 m) are cited.[11]
  • The third plaque, placed by the Montgomery County Department of Park and Planning (no date), honors Idamae Garrott, a local politician and champion of the environment. Owing to her efforts in 1973, the adjacent stretch of the Washington Metro (Red Line) was built in an arc diverting around the tree to avoid disturbing it.[11][12][13]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Linden Oak.
  • Wye Oak, a larger white oak in Wye Mills, Maryland, that was destroyed by high winds in 2002
  • Arbutus Oak, another white oak tree in Arbutus, Maryland, that was saved during the construction of Interstate 95
  • List of individual trees

References

  1. ^ a b c d ""Linden Oak" (PDF). Maryland State Archives. November 27, 1978. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 26, 2016. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Lukert, Luke (July 18, 2023). "An oak standing since America's birth comes down after its death in Montgomery Co". WTOP News. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  3. ^ "Big Tree Champions of Maryland". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  4. ^ Latson, Samantha (July 7, 2023). "One of Maryland's oldest trees will be turned into a sculpture". The Washington Post.
  5. ^ a b Fenston, Jacob. "The Linden Oak was spared during Metro construction. Now it will be chainsaw art". NPR. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Griffin, Elia (June 10, 2023). "Say goodbye to the county's 300-year-old white oak tree this weekend". MoCo360. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  7. ^ "Parkwood Residents Association Listserve, Montgomery County, MD - Google Groups".
  8. ^ "Montgomery Parks postpones removal of Linden Oak Tree". Montgomery Parks. June 13, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  9. ^ Griffin, Elia (June 30, 2023). "Removal of the historic Linden Oak postponed to early, mid-July". MoCo360. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  10. ^ Pusatory, Matt (December 8, 2023). "Transformation of centuries-old tree now complete in Montgomery County". WUSA9. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c "2013 Register of Champion Trees" (PDF). Montgomery County Forest Conservancy District Board. 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2014.
  12. ^ Churchville, Victoria (August 24, 1984). "Sweeping Vista Featured: Special Features Give Grosvenor Station Distinctive Character". The Washington Post. p. C1. ProQuest 138213877.
  13. ^ Perez-Rivas, Manuel (August 23, 2001). "Going Out on a Limb To Save County Trees". The Washington Post. p. ME12. ProQuest 409172800. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
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