Davie Poplar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Davie Poplar |
|
|---|---|
Davie Poplar in spring 2004
|
|
| Location | McCorkle Place, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina |
| Established | c. 1650 |
| Website | Davie Poplar |
The Davie Poplar is a very old and famous tulip poplar tree. It stands tall in McCorkle Place on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This special tree is named after William Richardson Davie. He was a general during the American Revolutionary War and helped start the university. The Davie Poplar is thought to be about 300 to 375 years old!
Contents
The Amazing Davie Poplar Tree
A Tree with a Story
When plans for the university were first made in 1792, the Davie Poplar was already a huge tree. A popular story says that William Richardson Davie himself chose the spot for the university. He supposedly picked the land after enjoying a nice summer lunch under this very tree. However, this story isn't quite true. A group of six people actually chose the university's location in November 1792. The tree was later named "Davie Poplar" by Cornelia Phillips Spencer in the late 1800s. She wanted to remember the popular legend.
The most famous legend about the tree is very important to the university. It says that as long as the Davie Poplar stands, the university will do well. But if the tree ever falls, the university might also crumble. Because of this belief, many efforts have been made to keep the tree safe and healthy.
Keeping Davie Poplar Safe
Over the years, people have taken many steps to protect the Davie Poplar. In 1918, lightning struck the tree. People worried it was dying. So, the university used a method called grafting to grow a new tree from it. This new tree was called Davie Poplar Jr. Later, another Davie Poplar Jr. was planted nearby. A third tree, Davie Poplar III, was also planted from a seed of the original tree.
In 1953, a strong steel band was added to the Davie Poplar. This band helps attach cables to other trees, keeping the main tree upright. The base of the tree has also been filled with concrete and carefully trimmed. All these efforts help make sure the tree stays strong and healthy.
Spreading the Legacy
For the university's 200th birthday in 1993, a special event took place. One hundred young trees, grown from the Davie Poplar's seeds, were given away. These seedlings were planted by 100 children across North Carolina's 100 counties. Most of these locations are not known today. However, the seedling for Burke County was planted in front of Table Rock Middle School.
The Davie Poplar has faced challenges. In 1996, Hurricane Fran caused some damage to the tree. More recently, in 2017, a small fire damaged the side of the tree. Thankfully, people quickly helped to put out the fire and care for the tree. These events show how important it is to protect this historic landmark.
