Acer pensylvanicum, Striped Maple Kongscut Mountain/Meshomasic State Forest, Glastonbury Big tree fans and big tree fans alike, you might want to grab a tissue for this one. Glastonbury's former national champion striped maple tree is dead. Like, snapped near the base and lying on the forest floor dead. Dead. … [Read more...]
(Former) National Champion: Poison Sumac
Toxicodendron vernix, Poison Sumac Fern Hollow Preserve, Glastonbury Height: 18 Feet Circumference: 14 inches It's always special when I meet people with pursuits similar to mine. It's also quite rare. So when Frank Kaputa from the Connecticut Notable Trees project reached out to offer to take me to a national … [Read more...]
NNL: Cathedral Pines
National Natural Landmark: Cathedral Pines Cornwall Designation Date: 1982 Most Connecticut citizens, when they think of pine trees, visualize a young pine tree of the kind ordinarily seen in nurseries or water company plantations. It will amaze such persons to see what the great pine trees of Connecticut really … [Read more...]
National Champion: American Smoketree
Cotinus obovatus, American Smoketree Windham Height: 33 Feet Circumference: 150 inches Every now and then I get all jazzed up about our state's slate of National Champion trees. Ever since I discovered the Connecticut Notable Trees project database, I've been hooked. But also a little frustrated. I learned … [Read more...]
FLT: Canal Aquaduct & Henry Mason Trail
I Think I Can(al), I Think I Can(al)... Farmington Land Trust: Canal Aqueduct Trail ~1 Mile, March 2018 Hiking with my older son Damian is a total crapshoot. His unique brand of special needs is such that I have no idea how the outing is going to go until we get going. This hike was one of those rare and beautiful … [Read more...]
Civil War Beech Tree
War’s a Beech Civil War Tree Granby It’s 2018 and I’m editing old Granby posts before “releasing” the CTMQ Complete Guide to Granby and I came across this from my Colton-Hayes Tobacco Barn Museum post of 2008. Because of its apparent uniqueness, I’m not bestowing this chunk of tree its own hallowed page on … [Read more...]
Site of First Christmas Tree in US… Maybe
“Fröhliche Weihnachten!" Site of First Christmas Tree in US Windsor Locks CTMQ readers know that I love my dubious superlatives. Writing about one of our country’s oldest states means that I come across a lot of them. There are so many – and so many are impossible to really, truly corroborate. But this one … [Read more...]
The Ashford Oak
”This Place is Dead Anyway” The Ashford Oak January 2017 This is a Joshua's Trust property. There’s a line in 1996’s Swingers that my wife and I love so much we use it anytime we can. The boys in the film are at an absolutely packed LA club and a suggestion is made to leave and go to a party in the … [Read more...]
The Auncient Oak (Gone)
"On the morrow morning..." The Auncient Oak, Bethlehem November 2014 This tree fell during a storm in 2022. See comment at bottom for more information. On the morrow morning Ricciardo went to an auncient woman of his acquaintance, who was the Mistresse of a Bathing-house, and there where he had appointed … [Read more...]
(Former) National Champion: Hardy Orange
Poncirus trifoliata, Hardy Orange Calvary Episcopal Church, Stonington Location: In back, near the church in the courtyard Height: 17 Feet Circumference: 48 inches I don’t go to church and I will never go to church, other than for weddings and funerals for people who have such things in churches. I am … [Read more...]