1872 - Arbor Day was started in by Sterling Morton, a Nebraska pioneer and newspaper editor who advocated the benefits of planting trees and encouraged civic organizations to join in. The idea became a popular yearly tradition.

1885 - It was made a legal holiday in the state of Nebraska.

1891 - Miss Susie Emerson was the High School principal at Centre School which was located where the Chelmsford Public Garden is today. She collected contributions from about 59 students and purchased a purple beech tree sapling from Edwin Warren on Boston Road for planting on Friday, May 1st.

The image below was cropped to highlight the sapling.

Miss Emerson's high school students went outside to plant the tree and then posed while Susie's brother, professional photographer Arthur Emerson, recorded the moment with his large format view camera. It's interesting that of the 31 students in that photo, four of the boys later married four of the girls.

Miss Frances Clark, the Primary school teacher, suggested that it was a nice day, and it would be more fun if all the students went outside, so the Grammar, Intermediate, and Primary classes were let out to join the High School group. Another photograph was taken with all 118 students. Smiling wasn't a tradition then as it is today in part because they had to hold still for the long exposure required by the glass plate technology of the day.

1892 - Arbor Day had been adopted by all states except Delaware, and many schools and other organizations carried out tree planting projects.

1935 – A reunion of 25 Chelmsford High School students photographed at the planting of the tree in 1891 was held at the Unitarian Church on Center Common on September 1st.

1960 - The purple Beech Tree was in its prime as seen below circa 1960.

1970 - Arbor Day went national and was designated as the last Friday in April. During our Purple Beech Tree's first century countless children played under its cascading branches and garden clubs used the dried beech nuts to make Christmas decorations. Initials were carved into its massive trunk and its distinctive color and shape alongside the Revolutionary War Monument defined Center Common

1989 – The Chelmsford Garden Club commissioned a marker to place in the ground near the tree.

2003 – The tree still provided shade and beauty on the common at age 112 year, and the graffiti was a constant source of curiosity.

2006 - This privately owned painting by Tom Gill was photographed for the cover of Chelmsford's 350th Anniversary Journal.

2010 - Several dead branches had to be removed, and other live but weak branches were supported with cables and chains. A safety fence was installed to kept people out from under the tree.

2012 – On November 15 three independent tree experts submitted a letter with bad news - the tree couldn't be made safe anymore and recommended that it be removed.

In the photos below: the safety barrier installed around the tree, the gnarly old trunk looking like an elephant leg, and the cables and chains installed to extend its life.

Sadly, the tree met its end on November 29. To keep the legacy alive, the tree limbs were stored by the DPW and later distributed for special projects. The largest amount went to local craftsman John Arthur who made a wide variety of souvenir items. Also, the Chelmsford Open Space Stewards arranged for a company to graft about 25 sprigs from the tree. The plan was to allow seven years for the saplings to grow large enough for planting and then locate them at several historic sites around town.

The photos below show a tree limb falling, "body parts" stored at the base of the monument, loading limbs for future use, and the tree stub with the moon over the old Center Fire Station.

2013 – The stump was pulled out of the ground.

A Bench was carved from a section of trunk from the Purple Beech Tree courtesy of the Chelmsford Garden Club. It was dedicated with a color guard from Boy Scout Troop 77, representatives from the Select Board and Chelmsford Garden Club, and Town Manager Paul Cohen On June 24.

The photos below show the Garden Club's marker, the Troop 77 color guard, and a photo shoot with town dignitaries, Scouts, and Chelmsford Garden Club members.

2019 - Unfortunately, a rabbit attack at the storage location destroyed all but two of the 25 saplings. One of the remaining saplings was planted at Sunny Meadow Farm in South Chelmsford and dedicated on April 25.

In the photos below: third graders in the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts Troup 67512 are spreading mulch around the sapling, and the troop poses behind the sapling with the Lewis Farm in the background.

The other remaining sapling was dedicated at the Old Garrison House Association campus on April 27.

The first photo below shows Select Board Member Ken LeFebvre, Jim Connolly of Weston Nurseries, Joanne and Phil Stanway of the Open Space Stewardship, Jim Martin on the town's Tree Committee, and Deb Taverna of the Old Garrison House Association who were all instrumental in keeping this bit of our Chelmsford history alive and accessible.

The second photo shows the sapling revealed in front of enlargements showing the original tree at the beginning and end of its life.

In the third photo Phil Stanway shows his award from the Chelmsford Tree Committee for his leadership role in saving our beech tree from extinction.

2020 – Additional defenses were necessary to protect the sapling from foraging animals.

2022 – Years later, craft items made by John Arthur carry on to remind us of our historic Purple Beech Tree on the Common.

Top

---

1. All photos labeled (colorized) are black and white images edited by Fred Merriam
2. Letter from Certified Arborist Ted Parsons dated 11/15/2012
3. Newspaper "Lowell Courier Citizen" dated 9/3/1935
4. Painting by Tom Gill, photographed for the cover of Chelmsford's 350 Anniversary Journal
5. Photo collection, Chelmsford Historical Society
6. Photo collection, Fred Merriam, Chelmsford
7. Postcard collection, Chelmsford Historical Society
8. Wikipedia.com, Arbor day History