Townsend Trees Planted for Special Purposes
 | Author:
Patrick Plantenberg, Tree Board Chair
Townsend Tree Board Chair, Townsend Rotary Club |
Townsend Trees Planted for Special Purposes
Patrick Plantenberg
Tree Board Chair
This is the fifth of a series of articles about trees planted in Townsend and Broadwater County to honor people, special events, or for other purposes. The Tree Board hopes people will come forward with more information on other trees planted on public as well as private property so the tree and its purpose can be documented.
21) Acer tataricum ‘Patdell’, Pattern Perfect Tatarian Maple; planted in Blue Star Memorial Garden in Veteran’s Memorial Park
• This Blue Star Memorial Garden veteran’s tree was planted in the spring of 2006 in the northwest corner of Veteran’s Memorial Park to honor all deceased veterans. It was planted by the Tree Board and the Townsend Garden Club. The tree was donated by Sharley Ragen. The tree is in good condition.
22) Sorbus decora, Showy Mountain Ash; planted in Veteran’s Memorial Park
• This tree was planted on Join Hands Day May 6, 2007, in memory of Grant Grover, WWII Army Veteran, and Mildred Grover WWII parachute seamstress and airplane repairwoman. They were both avid tree planters. The tree is planted west of the sidewalk on the way to the Veteran's Memorial. The tree was planted by the family, Rotary, American Legion, Boy Scout troops 231 and 235, and the Tree Board. The tree was paid for by the Tree Board with a grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.
23) Crataegus crus-galli var. inermis, Thornless Cockspur Hawthorn; planted west of the swimming pool.
• A Burning Bush Tree, Euonymus alatus, was planted in memory of Catherine E. Millay (Mike Millay's Mother) in the summer of 2010 by the family and Tree Board members. The tree was donated by Townsend City Council. The tree died in 2021 from winter injury and a Thornless Cockspur Hawthorn was planted on September 17, 2021. It is the fourth tree north of the Welcome to Townsend Rock west of the swimming pool. The tree is in good condition.
24) Juniperus scopulorum ‘Sky Rocket’, Sky Rocket Juniper; planted at Broadwater County Museum.
• A Juniperus scopulorum ‘Wichita Blue’, Wichita Blue Juniper was planted in the spring of 1994 in memory of Harold W. Marks, rancher, and supporter of the Broadwater County Museum. The tree was donated by Nancy Marks. The tree was planted north of the museum doors and began to conflict with the sidewalk and was removed and a new one was replanted in 2009 by the Tree Board. In 2022, the tree conflicted with the sidewalk again and was removed. A Sky Rocket Juniper was planted on the southeast corner of the museum property in the summer of 2023 in an area where three other junipers died in the winter of 2022-2023. This Sky Rocket Juniper was planted to replace the original trees planted for Harold Marks that were removed. The Sky Rocket Juniper was paid for by the Tree Board.
25) Pyrus ussuriensis 'Bailfrost', Mountain Frost Pear; planted at the Townsend Elementary School, 201 N Spruce Street.
• A Pyrus ussuriensis ‘MorDak’, Prairie Gem Flowering Pear tree was planted by the Broadwater County High School Student Council and the Tree Board in the spring of 2010. The tree was donated by the Student Council. The tree was in a sidewalk cutout east of the southeast entrance to the high school. The tree was destroyed by a vehicle on October 25, 2020. It was removed by the Tree Board and the new tree was planted in spring 2021. The tree is being treated for fireblight and is in good condition.
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PhotoCredit: Photo Credits: Pat Plantenberg
Image 1 Caption: Blue Star Memorial Tree
Photo Credits: Pat Plantenberg
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