ATHENS —
One of the Limestone County Courthouse’s eastern hemlock trees, which are likely destined for removal, could be at least 79 to 89 years old, according to a photograph from the Limestone County Archives and information from a state horticulturalist.
County Commissioners are considering removing two hemlocks at the courthouse— one each on the east and west sides — because they are losing limbs and are planted too close to the buildings.
Although some people initially said the trees were more than 100 years old, and some later said the trees were closer to 60 to 70 years old, photographs provided by Rebekah Davis at the archives provide some insight.
One photo shows the east side tree as it appeared in 1949. The photo depicts the Courthouse Square surrounded by people from towns throughout the Tennessee Valley who have come to a parade to celebrate 15 years of electricity in the valley.
In this photo, taken 63 years ago, the eastside tree already has several years on it. Exactly how many is a question difficult to answer.
State horticulturalist Lloyd Chapman, who works for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, looked at the 1949 image and said “the tree might be 15-25 years old.”
However, he said, “the problem is, we don’t know how old the trees were when they were transplanted.”
If the tree was a year old at transplanting and is 15 to 25 years old in the photo, then it would be at least 79 to 89 years old. Another photo provided by the archives, taken in 1931, also shows the east side of the courthouse. However, there does not appear to be an eastern hemlock present in the photo.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a mature eastern hemlock commonly reaches a height of 80 to 100 feet, although individual trees may become much larger. The record age for an eastern hemlock is 988 years, according to the USDA.
However old the courthouse hemlocks, Chapman has recommended that two be removed. The commission will vote on the matter after it receives Chapman’s written report on the status of the trees. These hemlocks have seen a lot of change over the years — electrification, moon landings, communications satellites and handheld computers as well as cultural changes like the Civil Rights Movement and the Women’s Movement.
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Related Photos
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In this 1949 photograph, people from towns all over the Tennessee Valley come to Athens for a parade to celebrate 15 years of electricity in the valley. One of the trees on the left side of the courthouse is the eastern hemlock the Limestone County Commission may soon vote to cut down. Courtesy photo/Limestone County Archives
Discussion
UPDATE: Historic photo shows Courthouse’s doomed eastern hemlock
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