THE BLACK HAWK TREE 



815 



of over seventy species of forest trees, 

 both evergreen and deciduous. Since 

 this forest has come under the control 

 of the college, a systematic method of 

 management has been introduced to 

 provide a model forest for practical 

 work, and at the same time to serve the 

 purposes of investigation and instruc- 

 tion, as well as to make the public 

 acquainted with the systematic manage- 

 ment of forests. With these objects in 

 view, roads have been projected through 

 the districts and the necessary surveys 



have been carried out. The whole 

 district has been so laid out as to make 

 possible systematic working; and the 

 annual cutting and other forestry opera- 

 tions will be regulated according to a 

 working plan. 



Also a lot of woodland in the forest 

 with an area of about 60 acres, where no 

 cutting has ever been done, is protected 

 against the ax in order to preserve a 

 fine specimen of primeval forest and to 

 afford some illustrative aids to silvi- 

 eultural study." 



THE BLACK HAWK TREE 



By Jens Jensen. 



A 1 



MONG a great many trees of 

 historic value in Illinois the 

 old Black Hawk Tree was the 

 foremost of all. This giant 

 cotton-wood that stood like a sentinel 

 over the prairies just a little west of the 

 village of Wilmette, one of Chicago's 

 suburbs, reached the good old age of 

 over 600 years. It was destroyed by a 

 malicious act, and at the time of its 

 death elid not show a single dry limb 

 or any deterioration in its noble form. 

 This giant towered over the prairies 

 130 feet and its diameter measured a 

 little over 12 feet near the ground. It 

 was hollow at the base with an opening 

 of 5 feet by 9 feet. The hollow was 

 large enough to hold a man on horse- 

 back, and an early owner of the tree 

 used it for a pigpen. 



During the great fire of 1832 this 

 was the only tree left unharmed in this 

 region. The Indians supposed it to 

 be under the protection of a great 

 spirit, and it became a gathering place 

 for the Medicine men from the various 

 tribes that roamed about this section. 

 Pieces of the bark were used as love 

 charms by the Indian maidens. 



During the Black Hawk war the 

 Sax drew upon themselves the wrath 

 of the Foxes and the Pattowatamies by 



There are or have been numerous trees of great historical interest in the United States and 

 Canada. American Forestry invites from its readers bnel descriptions of any such trees of 

 which they know. Editor's Note.] 



selling their land to the Government. 

 About this time a young Sax warrior 

 fell in love with a beautiful daughter of 

 the Pattowatamies, but fearing the 

 wrath of their people they met at the 

 tree, believing the sacred ground around 

 it would protect them from molesta- 

 tions. This romance was suddenly 

 interrupted by a party of Sax, killing 

 the young warrior and burying him 

 beside the tree. The Indian girl made 

 her escape but soon after returned to 

 the tree and killed herself upon her 

 lovers grave. It is said that her spirit 

 still haunts the place. 



Black Hawk himself often assembled 

 the chiefs of his confederates around 

 the tree, and many of the campaigns 

 against the white were planned beneath 

 its shadow. The early pioneer recog- 

 nized it as a land mark, and this it was 

 until its death a few years ago. Strong 

 and sturdy as it was it might have lived 

 for additional centuries, passing its 

 early associations from generation to 

 generation. There are other trees of 

 equal importance over the country that 

 should be protected from harm and 

 vandalism. Proper foresight would have 

 preserved this old tree for coming 

 generations. 



