Eastern Massachusetts Gallery

Massachusetts Gallery - Steve Hewlett, Page 1

Massachusetts Gallery - Steven Hewlett, Page 2

Steve Hewlett took this picture of his wife standing next to a silver maple located on Winter Park Road in Framingham. The tree's circumference is 15' 4.5".	Photos below: European copper beech. In the photo of the trunk with my wife the leaves look as green as green can be. I think this is for two reasons - 1) I used the flash and 2) there is very little sunlight getting down in there. The picture of the copper beech you have below that is the same tree and it is definitely a "copper" colored beech. In my area of Framingham there are approx. 6 really huge copper beeches. This whole area was a large estate many years ago. - Steve Hewlett
Steve Hewlett took this photo of his wife standing next to a European Copper Beech on Winter Street in Framingham. The tree has a circumference of 21' 3.5". (possibly a European Beech)	European Copper Beech on Winter Street in Framingham. The tree has a circumference of 21' 3.5".
November 24, 2006: I am attaching photos from the three trees we measured today. I am also attaching a separate text file with descriptions. The bitternut has two circumference measurements and from the photo of the trunk it looks like they should be more than 9 inches in difference but they are not as the trunk is not circular in circumference. The Southborough red oak is massive. The Framingham red oak is a very nice single unbranched trunk specimen. - Steve Hewlett
Bitternut - Worcester, MA - Nov. 2006 Ht. w/ clinometer = 65 feet smallest waist (2' 9") = 14 ft. 0 in. cbh = 14 ft. 9 in.	Bitternut - Worcester, MA - Nov. 2006 Ht. w/ clinometer = 65 feet smallest waist (2' 9") = 14 ft. 0 in. cbh = 14 ft. 9 in.
Red Oak - Framingham, MA - Nov. 2006 Ht. w/ clinometer = 76 feet cbh = 13 ft. 8 in.	Red Oak - Framingham, MA - Nov. 2006 Ht. w/ clinometer = 76 feet cbh = 13 ft. 8 in.
November 25, 2006: We had a productive day in the field again. Attached are photos and a text file with descriptions. All three of these trees are great specimens. I had been told that the Holliston tree was an oak but once I got there and saw it myself it was a white ash. The Blackstone sycamore is a splendid tree and the Franklin white oak is also a fine representative of its species. - Steve Hewlett
Red Oak - Southborough, MA - Nov. 2006 Ht. w/ clinometer = 111 feet smallest waist (2' 9") = 20 ft. 9 in. cbh = 21 ft. 5 in.	Red Oak - Southborough, MA - Nov. 2006 Ht. w/ clinometer = 111 feet smallest waist (2' 9") = 20 ft. 9 in. cbh = 21 ft. 5 in.
Sycamore - Blackstone, MA - Nov. 2006 Ht. w/ clinometer = 105 feet cbh = 18 ft. 8 in.	Sycamore - Blackstone, MA - Nov. 2006 Ht. w/ clinometer = 105 feet cbh = 18 ft. 8 in.
White Ash - Holliston, MA - Nov. 2006 Ht. w/ clinometer = 71 feet cbh = 17 ft. 10 in.	White Ash - Holliston, MA - Nov. 2006 Ht. w/ clinometer = 71 feet cbh = 17 ft. 10 in.
White Oak - Franklin, MA - Nov. 2006 Ht. w/ clinometer = 63 feet cbh = 18 ft. 1 in.	White Oak - Franklin, MA - Nov. 2006 Ht. w/ clinometer = 63 feet cbh = 18 ft. 1 in.

Massachusetts Gallery - Steven Hewlett, Page 2

Eastern Massachusetts	Steve Hewlett
	Jun 23, 2006 06:31 PDT

Bob,

I think the book that you are referring to is "Common Trees of
Massachusetts" by Illick 1927. This book is referenced in the "Great
Eastern Trees, Past and Present" article by Colby B. Rucker as is the
Rugg Elm. I do not believe the Rugg Elm is still with us or I would have
noticed it. I have been trying to find out where it stood and may have
to make a trip to the local library to find out. At one time Framingham,
like many towns in the eastern and central U.S., had a large elm
population but all the mature ones are gone except for the one growing
out of the sidewalk I wrote about in my other post. There is a very
small elm trying to make a go of it in one of my neighbor's hedge but it
keeps getting pruned to seven feet in height every time the hedge is
trimmed.

I have recently been doing a lot of research on the internet and have
been unable to turn up an all-encompassing list of notable trees in
Massachusetts. I have been able to put together a modest list from
various sources and intend to investigate these trees as time permits.
One source is the "Heritage Tree Grants" program run by the state with
funds supplied by the federal gov't.

http://www.mass.gov/envir/press/pressreleases/2005_heritage_tree_grants.pdf
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/news/pr3-22-06.pdf

Towns apply for funds to care for historically important trees on their
public property. I think the program has been ongoing for seven or eight
years but I could only find the grants for 2005 and 2006 on the
internet. I'll email the state and see if I can get the lists for
earlier years. Of particular interest to me is the "Worshipping Oak" in
Haverhill which is reputed to pre-date the first meeting house built
there in 1648.

Steve Hewlett

Robert Leverett wrote (June 23, 2006):

Steve,

    Many years ago, I bought a book on famous trees of Massachusetts. It
was published around 1918 or 1919 as best I recall. There are numerous
trees listed in the book that are still alive today. The Sunderland
sycamore is one. Unfortunately, the Charlemont sycamore is a tree that
is no longer with us, may its tree spirit rest in peace. As I recall
there were some famous elms in Framingham, maybe the Ruggles Elm? I
don't have the book with me some I'm unsure. Are you aware of the status
of this historic elm?

    I recall my first visit to the famous Wayside Inn near Marlboro and
the oak that George Washington supposedly touched or sat under.
Massachusetts is loaded with famous and semi-famous trees. But I'm
unaware of any encompassing list that includes the historically famous
and the almost famous - or should be famous. A tree fitting the latter
description is the Whipping Tree (Shaker sycamore) at Harvard, MA. Do
you know of such a list? I've thought that a future list of ENTS could
be nationally-regionally historic and locally famous trees organized by
state, species, etc.

Bob

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