Historic Trees. 
(Trees of Litchfield, Connecticut, which in age, size and historic 
interest seem worthy of a place in the Hall of Fame. ) 
An Oak Supposed to be one of the primeval forest, about 225 years 
old, measuring 13 feet in diameter, still strong and vigorous, 
stands on the old Elisha Sheldon place now owned by Samuel 
H. Fisher. 
The One of thirteen set out by Oliver Wolcott (signer of the 
Connecticut Declaration of Independence, Major General and Governor of 
Sycamore Connecticut in 1783), after the declaration of peace, in honor 
of the thirteen original States. Strangely enough, the Connec- 
ticut Sycamore is the only one standing. The trunk-girth is 
138^ inches. It stands in front of the Roman Catholic Church 
on South Street. 
The Is about 200 years old, the oldest and largest elm in Litch- 
Whipping field; its girth now is 150 inches (12 feet 6 inches). It was 
Post Elm measured in 1901, by State Forester Walter Mulford, and has 
grown 9 inches in the 18 years, one-half inch a year. An old 
resident used to tell of seeing a man tied to the tree and "given 
10 lashes save one ; ' ' this was about 181 5. It stands on the 
corner, by the County jail. 
The About 170 years old, is the second largest elm, measuring 
Beech lr 116^ inches. This marks the approximate site of the old Beecher 
Elm home, at the corner of North and Prospect Streets. 
Tin Sign- Not quite so old, at the corner, by the Wolcott Memorial 
Post Elm Library, has the historic interest of having advertised on its 
calm Hank the Legal Notices, and seen conducted in its shadow 
the Sheriff's Sales, for over a hundred years. 
The Planted by Col. Benjamin Tallmadge about 1790, in front 
Tallmadge of his house on North Street, now occupied by his grand-daugh- 
Elms ter, Mrs. John A. Vanderpoel, measure 121, 127, 128, 129 and 
130 inches, which in growth is practically one inch a year. 
Three On South Street, in front of the old Kirby place, now owned 
Large by the Rev. H. G. Mendenhall, were probably set out by the 
Elm- Hon. Ephraim Kirbj', about 1780. They measure 123, 130 and 
132 inches. 
Two Maples The survivors of a row planted by Sarah and Mary Pierce, 
of the famous Litchfield Academy, were planted in front of 
their house on North Street about 1803. 
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