Herbie (tree) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Herbie |
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Photograph of "Herbie", taken prior to its spread being reduced in 2008. The tree was cut down in 2010
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 Herbie
Location in Maine
Herbie
Location in the United States
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| Species | American elm (Ulmus americana) |
| Coordinates | 43°48′02″N 70°10′35″W / 43.800573°N 70.176283°W |
| Date seeded | 1793 |
| Date felled | 2010 |
Herbie was a famous American elm tree in Yarmouth, Maine, United States. It stood tall for 217 years, from 1793 until January 19, 2010. Herbie was an amazing 110 feet (34 meters) tall. Between 1997 and when it was cut down, it was the oldest and largest American elm in all of New England.
Herbie got its name in a special way. When some of its sick branches were being removed, children watching cried out, "What are you going to do to Herbie? Don't cut Herbie!" The name stuck, and everyone knew the tree as Herbie.
Contents
Meet Herbie: A Giant Tree
Herbie was a truly impressive tree. It had a huge trunk, about 20 feet (6 meters) around. Its branches spread out wide, reaching 93 feet (28 meters) across until 2008. A special plaque on its trunk called Herbie a "historic landmark." This meant it was a very important part of the town's history.
In 1834, the town planted many more elm trees along East Elm Street. This gave Herbie lots of tree friends.
Herbie's Big Challenge: Dutch Elm Disease
Starting in 1957, many of Yarmouth's beautiful elm trees began to get sick. They caught a serious illness called Dutch elm disease. This disease is caused by a fungus that blocks the tree's water system. Sadly, most of the 739 elm trees in Yarmouth died because of it. By 2003, only twenty of the original trees were left.
Herbie was a fighter! It battled Dutch elm disease fifteen different times. For many years, it managed to survive. However, in 2007, stripes appeared under its bark. This was a sign that the disease was getting much worse.
Saying Goodbye to Herbie
In August 2009, the sad news came out: Herbie would have to be cut down. The disease had become too strong. The removal was planned for January 18 and 19, 2010, and it cost $20,000.
Before Herbie was cut down, its special plaque was replaced with a laminated version. People in Yarmouth started "The Herbie Project." This project raised money to care for and plant new trees in the town. After Herbie was gone, local woodworkers used its wood to make beautiful items. These items were then sold at an auction to raise even more money for the tree fund.
A big snowstorm delayed Herbie's removal by one day. On January 19, 2010, the tree was finally taken down. When workers counted the rings inside its trunk, they first thought Herbie was at least 212 years old. Later, an official count showed it was actually 217 years old! The tree's stump was removed a few months later, at the end of May.
Herbie's Legacy Lives On
Even though Herbie is gone, parts of it are still around. A section of its trunk was shown at the 2010 Yarmouth Clam Festival. Now, this part of Herbie is on permanent display outside Yarmouth town hall. This display was a project by local Eagle Scouts.
Frank Knight: Herbie's Best Friend
Herbie had a very special friend named Frank Knight. He was the town's "tree warden," which means he was in charge of caring for all the town's trees. Frank Knight looked after Herbie for half of his life, starting in 1956. He worked hard to keep Herbie healthy for many years.
Frank Knight passed away in 2012 at the age of 103. In a touching tribute, his casket was secretly made from Herbie's wood. The town of Yarmouth honored Frank Knight in many ways. Athletic fields and a forest are named after him. A tree was also planted in front of the town hall in his honor.
Gallery
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Yarmouth was once flush with American elms. These, on Main Street, were some of the original 739 that existed
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A section of Herbie's stump, pictured in May 2010, is prepared for removal. A stump grinder removed the remainder at the end of the month
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The above section on display at the 2010 Yarmouth Clam Festival. It is now on permanent display on Cleaves Street, on the property of Yarmouth's town hall
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The front and back of a "The Herbie Project" T-shirt
See also
- List of individual trees
- List of elm trees
