Great Elm (Boston) facts for kids

The Great Elm, from a mid-nineteenth century print

Stereoscopic view of Great Elm, 19th century

The Great Elm was a huge tree that stood in the middle of the Boston Common in Massachusetts. It was there until February 15, 1876. Early maps of the area showed only three trees, and the Great Elm was one of them. The other two trees, including the famous Liberty Tree, were gone long before the Great Elm finally fell.

For a long time, the Great Elm was a symbol of the Boston Common. People thought it was the best example of a "favorite ornamental tree." Its popularity even encouraged people in the area to plant more trees, hoping they would grow to be as grand as the Great Elm. These planting efforts made the Great Elm, already the biggest tree around, even more famous.

How Old Was the Great Elm?

People in Boston have always been interested in the Great Elm. In the 1800s, writers like Nehemiah Adams said the tree was a key part of "the history of Boston and of our revolution." It was often called "Boston's Oldest Inhabitant."

The tree was truly impressive in size. In 1825, it was about 65 feet tall. Its trunk was over 21 feet around, and its branches spread out 86 feet wide. By 1855, it had grown even more. It was 72.5 feet tall, and its branches stretched 101 feet across. While its huge size attracted many visitors, all that weight and attention eventually put a lot of stress on the old tree. This stress contributed to its eventual fall.

The Boston Society of Natural History studied the tree to find out its age and importance. They noted it was an American Elm, known for its graceful, hanging branches. Based on old descriptions, they believed the tree was already over 100 years old by 1722. This meant that by 1855, the Great Elm was likely more than 200 years old!

Some old stories also tried to explain the tree's history. One tradition from 1670 said that Hezekiah Henchman or his father planted the tree. Some people tried to connect this story to the famous Hancock family. A Henchman descendant, Lydia, married Thomas Hancock. Thomas and Lydia adopted his nephew, John Hancock, who later became a very important leader during the American Revolution. These stories helped link the Great Elm to a key figure in American history.

The Great Elm's Role in Boston

The Great Elm stood in the middle of the Boston Common. City leaders bought this open area in 1634 for £30. At first, the Common was used as a cow pasture. So, not many people interacted directly with the Great Elm until the city turned the area into a place for fun and relaxation.

In its early days, the Great Elm was a silent witness to some serious events. The tree was near where some important legal proceedings took place in the 1600s. As more houses were built around the Common, the area began to change. Wealthy Bostonians, like John Hancock's uncle Thomas, wanted to live near the Great Elm and built their large homes as close as possible.

This change was good for both the Boston Common and the Great Elm. Even though the Common was still used for military training, it became a popular place for townspeople to relax. The city started to improve the Common's condition. Through all these changes, the Great Elm stood tall, watching Boston grow and progress.

Some of the elm's wood was saved and used in special ways. For example, some of its wood was used on the back cover of a book called "Stark's Antique Views of Ye Towne of Boston" from 1882. A chair made from its wood is kept in the rare book room of the Boston Public Library. These items help people remember how important the tree was to Boston's history.

The Fall of the Great Elm

The Great Elm grew old, and all the attention it received slowly weakened it. In the mid-1800s, the city put a fence around the tree to stop people from climbing on its weak branches. In June 1860, a big storm badly damaged the tree. Finally, on February 15, 1876, another strong storm with heavy winds knocked the Great Elm down.

Many people felt the loss of this natural treasure. Some believed its fall made the community even more determined to protect other natural spaces in the Common. Before it fell, the Great Elm was a central meeting spot for visitors. Even after the damaging storm in 1860, the tree remained an inspiring symbol of Boston's past and present. Luckily, photography was invented in time for many pictures to be taken of the majestic Great Elm before it was gone forever.

Remembering the Great Elm

The loss of the Great Elm deeply affected Boston residents. In the same year the tree fell, a writer named Waterston wrote about its legacy. He described how "thousands of citizens gathered earnestly around, eager to take one farewell look, and to gain... some memento... of this historic and patriarchal representative of the Past."

Boston's leaders also wanted to honor the lost tree. The Mayor of Boston, Samuel Cobb, even released a statement printed on thin pieces of wood from the tree itself! He used this special way to celebrate the tree's legacy. Under a grand image of the Great Elm, the mayor wrote: "As the Great Elm on Boston Common... was destined to fall... I can do no less than give the attestation of my name to certify, that this is a perfectly correct view of it, just before it fell, and that the surface on which the photograph is presented is a veneer from the wood of the veritable and venerable Tree. March 31, 1876, Samuel C Cobb, Mayor of Boston."

Today, visitors still go to the spot where the Great Elm once stood. Instead of a giant tree, they now see a small plaque. This plaque celebrates the Great Elm's importance to the Boston Common. It says this was the "site of the Great Elm: here the Sons of Liberty assembled; Here Jesse Lee, Methodist Pioneer, Preached in 1790. The landmark of the Common, the Elm blew down in 1876. Placed by the N.E. Methodist Historical Society."