Severe winds brought down a 227-year-old tree planted by George Washington on his Mount Vernon estate on Friday.
The Canadian hemlock was planted by Washington, the founding father and first U.S. president, in 1791. Mount Vernon announced the tree’s downing on its Facebook page Friday evening.
“Today at Mount Vernon, strong winds brought down a 227-year-old Canadian Hemlock, as well as a Virginia cedar that stood watch over Washington’s tomb for many years,” the post said.
The estate said that the tree originally came to Mount Vernon in 1791 in a half whiskey barrel as a gift from then-New York Gov. George Clinton.
Rob Shenk, the senior vice president of visitor engagement at Mount Vernon, wrote on Twitter Saturday that estate lost many trees to the powerful winds that tore through the Washington region on Friday, but that the Canadian hemlock was perhaps the most significant.
“The DC area lost a lot of #trees yesterday, but maybe none more significant than this 1791 Canadian Hemlock @MountVernon,” he tweeted. “George Washington himself likely knew this tree along his famous Bowling Green.”
The DC area lost a lot of #trees yesterday, but maybe none more significant than this 1791 Canadian Hemlock @MountVernon. George Washington himself likely knew this tree along his famous Bowling Green. #NorEaster2018 #dc #NBC4DC #CNNWeather #fxva #trees #1791 pic.twitter.com/SWZJ8zMVg1
— Rob Shenk (@robshenk) March 3, 2018
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227-year-old tree planted by George Washington torn down in severe winds https://t.co/vqFK2dktdd pic.twitter.com/cQhoVX7dcO
— The Hill (@thehill) March 4, 2018
That’s a shame. 🙁
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