PORTLAND, Ore. — A downtown Portland landmark took its final bow on Monday, as the city cut down a tree that's stood for more than 150 years.
The towering, iconic elm tree has stood at 1111 Southwest 10th Avenue since about 1870, five years after the end of the Civil War.
"Just look at the form of it," said Portland resident Robert Baerg, marveling at the venerable elm. "I mean it's massive — and the way it branches out, it's a cathedral. It's nature's cathedral."
Limb by limb, crews cut the old elm down on Monday. According to Samantha Wolf, botany specialist for Portland Parks & Recreation, the ice storm that hit the city hard in January wreaked havoc on the tree, downing several of its proud limbs. Three weeks ago, another limb came down.
"Which indicates the tree is not able to revive itself from the loss," Wolf said. "Unfortunately, after 150 years it's in decline."
When the tree was planted, Portland Parks and Recreation says that the city had a population of just 90,000. It was a time of horse and buggies, a time when Portland's muddy streets and toppled trees earned it the nickname "Stumptown" — only later becoming a city known for its living trees.
The tree was sometimes known as the Burrell elm or "Rosa's Tree," in honor of pioneer and social reformer Rosetta F. Burrell, whose home it once stood outside. It was approved by the city's Historical Landmarks Commission in 1975, and later became the first tree inducted to the city's Heritage Tree Program in 1993, labeling it Heritage Tree #1.
It may well have been the oldest elm tree in Oregon.
"This tree has grown with the history of Portland," said Baerg. "It's still serving its purpose. And I'm sure some beautiful things will be made out of it. That wood is not going to go to waste ... so it lives on, it lives on."
According to the city, there are limitations to what can be done with the wood due to laws around a pathogen called Dutch elm disease. However, PP&R is looking into ways that some of the wood may be safely repurposed to benefit the public.