Only God can build a tree

A LOOK BACK

I can still recall the small gathering of people on the grounds of

the Newland House several years back on Arbor Day as Elaine Craft and

her group of ladies from the Women’s Division of the Huntington Beach

Chamber of Commerce planted a scrawny-looking magnolia tree near the

entrance gate.

Many of us wondered if that little tree would last the year, many

thought it might wither away and die. But that little tree had a

strong heart and hung in there and today it is a beautiful healthy

tree.

This got me to thinking of how important trees are to people.

Not only are they a source of beauty and shade, but of the

memories that they can evoke of someone or something.

Many of you may have planted a tree in the yard when one of your

children were born and then watched as they both reached maturity. So

this week I thought it would be fun to look back at some of the older

trees in our city.

Our first giant of nature became part of our Civic Center at Main

Street and Yorktown Avenue. During the construction of the new civic

center complex it was decided to have a special tree planted that

would continue to live for many years to come.

In 1971 Linda Gerarden became chair of the tree planting committee

of the Woman’s Division of the Chamber of Commerce and one of her

first acts was to contact Ron Brindle of the Brindle Nursery for

suggestions.

Gerarden was aided in this endeavor by her committee that included

Elaine Craft, Peggy Freeman and Marlene Downey. The committee settled

on a Sequoia sempervirens (coastal redwood). A 25-year-old redwood

was brought here from Carson City, Nev.

This tree weighed 13 tons, was more than 37 feet tall and it would

reach its maturity somewhere between 400 to I,500 years. With proper

care it would live to 3,000 years. I guess I’ll not even see it

mature!

This majestic coastal redwood came packed in a seven-foot box and

it required at least a year of careful preparation before it could be

planted in the ground.

This stately tree was planted in time for the dedication of the

new civic center on March 30, 1974.

Our second historic tree, if it could be located today, would be

the oldest tree planted in Huntington Beach. It was in 1876 that

Charles McDowell purchased five eucalyptus trees from the Tim Curren

Nurseries in Anaheim.

He gave two of these trees away and planted the rest near his

squatter’s cabin on land that was owned by Stearns Ranchos. Two of

those eucalyptus trees that McDowell planted died. The Stearns people

succeeded in ousting all the squatters from their land and removed

their cabins including McDowell’s cabin. But that one lonely

eucalyptus tree that McDowell planted survived. And as it grew

America grew.

The tree watched as America entered the Spanish-American War of

1898 and on through two world wars.

In the early 1940s there was talk of erecting a fence around this

tree and placing a bronze plaque in its trunk. But with the war going

on this was forgotten. The tree stood near 17th Street and Adams

Avenue and if it is still there it would be 127 years old, and the

oldest planted tree in Huntington Beach.

Our third historic tree was planted by Mary Newland in the front

yard of their ranch at Beach Blvd. and Adams Avenue.

This historic tree is a Washingtonian Palm that Mary planted in

the early years of our town and that palm forms a special place on

the Newland grounds today.

Our last tree, also a eucalyptus tree, can be seen today by anyone

driving down Lake Street. This tree is located in front of 505 Lake

St. and was one of several hundred trees planted in Huntington Beach

in 1904.

The Huntington Beach Company hired George Wardwell to plant these

three throughout our new city streets and parks. He was aided by the

Huntington Beach Company’s gardener, Albert Lake, and the project was

finally completed by Joe Vavra.

This tree was planted in front of the home of William and Minnie

Higgins. After their passing it became the home to Eula and Delbert

Higgins who passed the home to their daughter Darlene and today

Gordie Higgins and his niece Gloria live on the property and enjoy

the beauty of this historic giant of nature.

You can’t miss this tree because it has the largest diameter of

any tree in Huntington Beach today.

These are just a few examples of our historic trees that can be

found throughout Huntington Beach. You need only walk through our

many parks to see future trees in the making and after many years

have past, who knows, someday you can bring your grandchildren back

to see these very trees.

* JERRY PERSON is a local historian and longtime Huntington Beach

resident. If you have ideas for future columns, write him at P.O. Box

7182, Huntington Beach, CA 92615.