It’s with a Tear in Our Eyes that We Say Goodbye to the Bainbridge History Museum’s Historic Red Oak Tree that Stood Tall for Generations

It’s gone! You might have noticed in recent days that the historic red oak tree located on the Bainbridge History Museum property at 215 Ericksen Ave NE is no longer standing.

The museum bid farewell to this wonderful sentinel of yesteryear – one of the three beautiful heritage trees on the property – during the last week of February. “Sadly, after suffering a severe crack and disease, the tree became a hazard to public health and safety, despite years of dedicated care and effort,” recounts the museum curator Lindsey Ogles. “Over the past three years, our Museum team, alongside the City of Bainbridge Island (COBI), has worked tirelessly—through bracing, trimming, watering, and ongoing monitoring—to find solutions that would preserve the tree for as long as possible.”

“We have heard from many people over the last few weeks with questions about the tree’s history, its place in the Museum’s heart, and what has happened to the wood from the iconic red oak. We hope that (the following report) will help to answer some of those questions and allow the community to understand how we are all moving forward from here.”

How old is the tree?

Answer: “We have heard this question the most from a number of different people (both residents of and visitors to the island). The short answer is that we believe the tree to have been planted in 1903 after making the long journey from Kew Gardens in England to its eventual home on Bainbridge Island,” Ogles says. “As the tree was coming down, our team did our best to measure and count the tree’s rings in an effort to double check our information. Not only did the base measure 55 inches across, our team counted over 96 rings on one of the larger sections of the trunk.”

Why did the tree have to be taken down?

Answer: “Several years ago, the red oak experienced a large and severe crack. COBI pruned the tree to help alleviate the pressure on the split (taking more than 15 tons out of the canopy!). Despite this early attempt to allow the tree to heal, the crack continued to worsen. Arborists were called in to make assessments and recommendations as the Museum and COBI worked to preserve the tree over the last few years,” Ogles explains.

“From regular checks to a summer watering schedule, each season brought hope and disappointment as the tree did not seem to be healing. Disease set in among the limbs as well, causing further concern for public safety as we approached worsening winter weather this season,” she continues. “As many of us on Bainbridge Island know, winter brings ice and wind to our beautiful island and this inclement weather caused extra concern for both the tree and the safety of anyone walking under its sprawling branches (including our Museum staff who had been nervously working directly under what we came to learn were thousands of pounds of branches). Ultimately, COBI, which owns the property that the Museum sits on, and the Museum team came to an agreement that the safety of the community was the most important consideration and began addressing how the tree could be taken down safely and respectfully.”

What will happen with the wood?

Answer: “The wood from the red oak tree will be going to several places and be put to use in a variety of projects over the next few years (keep in mind that the wood will need several years to dry and be able to be used at all),” Ogles notes. “Not only will some of the wood be made available through COBI as firewood, but it will also be put to use through a partnership with BARN’s woodworking studio. The Museum team has also retained a small amount of wood to work on some other small projects in an attempt to preserve the legacy of the tree at the Museum.

“To everyone who took the time to check on the tree over the years and to those who witnessed its recent removal, we invite you to join us in remembering the beautiful red oak. We also hope this helps explain the ongoing challenges our team has faced in recent years, as well as the efforts made to preserve the tree.

Living History in our Trees

Much has been written about the historic individuals who have lived on Bainbridge Island. However, very little has been noted about the trees that reflect the true history of Bainbridge Island. Embedded in these trees is the natural history of island as explained in the book Historic, Champion & Unique Trees of Bainbridge Island,  by Olaf Ribeiro.

The three trees on the former Henry Knox Hall property (now the Museum ) indeed have a fascinating history. Robert Cave, a renowned horticulturist, arrived on Bainbridge Island in 1888 and purchased the Cave property in 1890. (Does Cave Avenue ring a bell?). He quickly began planting a variety of trees on his land. These three trees, along with three others at Harbor Square Loop, are all that remain of his legacy. Originally brought as seedlings from the aforementioned Kew Gardens in London, England, they survived a lengthy voyage around Cape Horn.

Before the City of Bainbridge Island acquired the property at 215 Ericksen Ave (where the Museum sits), it was home to a locally owned pet shop. The red oak tree originally stood in the pet store’s parking lot. A crew of eight workers spent a week using handpicks to break up the gravel and asphalt, a process that helped minimize damage to the tree’s roots. The trees were then treated for root rot, and special mulch was applied to support their health.

The Museum moved from Strawberry Hill Park to its current site in 2004. The move of the school house was accomplished by not injuring any trees during the transport. Ribeiro walked the entire distance in front of the museum transport vehicle to ensure no trees were injured during transit. The passage to the museum was accomplished without injuring any limbs by employing several innovative techniques. Long-time island attorney Robert Conoley remarked at the time, “this would make the pharaoh Rehobam weep with impatience!”

All’s well that ends well. Indeed, the school house was placed in its present site without any disturbance to the historic oak tree. … If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact the Museum staff at admin@bainbridgehistory.org.

Source material: Bainbridge History Museum. Photos courtesy of Lindsay Ogles, Dave Marquis, and Rick and Miriam Chandler. 

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