Mary Lee Minor
| Special to Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum
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USA TODAY
On Oct. 3, Crawford County launched efforts to initiate the celebration of our country’s 250th year celebration. We did it.
The sunshine at Heckert Woods Nature Preserve warmed members of the Crawford County History Alliance and representatives of the Crawford County Park District as the two entities collaborated on this event.
All three county commissioners attended, along with Bucyrus Elementary School children and guests from the Bucyrus community. The United States flag, the Ohio pennant flag and a Semiquincentennial flag were all displayed. Randy Fischer led the Pledge of Allegiance then welcomed everyone to the planting of a swamp white oak; that tree was of a serious size.
The tree made it to our county from the state of Ohio’s Commission for the Semiquincentennial, a gift. A 10-inch square plaque was already in place on a post. Randy expressed excitement for the significance of the tree arriving in our county.
New Crawford Park District Director Lori Storey spoke about the site’s significance in proximity to the Battle of Olentangy, an historical event with meaning for area residents.
“This white oak symbolizes liberty and perseverance,” she said.
County commissioners Larry Schmidt, Jeff Price and Tim Ley offered comments. Fischer invited the commissioners, Kyle Hartman of the Crawford County Park District Board and Crawford County History Alliance Projects Director Elaine Naples forward as shovelers to place soil on the white oak, already in the ground.
A soil enhancer had been added beneath and on top of the tree. Two students joined in for this part of the ceremony. Students who were members of the Principal’s Advisory Committee took turns watering the tree.
Afterwards, everyone was offered a cup of “Liberty Tea,” made by Sarah Gebhardt. There was an opportunity to make a short story walk about the book The Liberty Tree, a symbolic tree in Boston that brought patriots together before the American Revolution. The children made paper lanterns, a way to commemorate the repeal of The Stamp Act.
Back then, colonists did hang 45 actual lanterns on the Liberty Tree on May 19, 1766. At another table with me, they viewed an exhibit showing how to determine a tree’s age. Then, each youngster practiced lettering their name before making a name tag from a “tree cookie,” or cross section.
Crawford County Park District Naturalist Donald Helfrich led two guided walks on the short trail of Heckert Woods Nature Preserve. The white oaks are being presented to all 88 Ohio counties as part of the Heritage Tree Program.
White oaks were selected because they are native and are resilient, adaptable and strong. The plaque states: “May this tree serve as a lasting legacy of our living history.”
We can thank Cenovus Energy for the plaque and sponsoring The Heritage Tree Program with Ohio’s Semiquincentennial Committee.
Mary Lee Minor is a member of the Earth, Wind and Flowers Garden Club, an accredited master gardener, a flower show judge for the Ohio Association of Garden Clubs and a former 6th grade teacher.
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