MADISON, Tenn. (WTVF) — If only trees could talk.
That’s what one man wonders when he looks at the remnants of a tree believed to be more than two centuries old.
It finally gave way earlier this month when we had all of those storms in Middle Tennessee. Rather than just throwing it out, there are still plans to give it a second life.
“We’ve worked on a ton of really big trees, but nothing this big yet,” said Chris Payne with Payneless Tree Care.
No task is too big for Payne and his team – not even removing a tree this massive and historic.
“I’d say it’s about 250 years old, realistically,” he said.
That means the tree likely started growing in Madison some time between 1775 and 1823. In that time frame, the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. Tennessee became a state in 1796. Nashville became a city in 1806.
“It’s an enormous tree,” Payne said. “So you know, this guy, we like to think this thing was here back when Andrew Jackson and everybody was still alive, so it’s just really cool to see.”
Back in the fall, we told you about a man’s mission to save trees and give them a second purpose. Tad Derrickson is the one who told me about this tree. As for his involvement, he’s planning on bringing his mobile saw mill to help save the pieces to give this tree its second life.
“You know you could make it straight into a big dining room table, or anything,” Payne said. “It’s a big red oak so it’s really good wood so we like to see something done with ‘em to kind of - it’s my way of giving back and helps me sleep a little better at night.”
The tree fell onto a home during a Saturday storm in early April. We’re told the home was vacant and nobody was living in it at the time.
Do you have a positive story you'd like to share? You can email me at Austin.Pollack@newschannel5.com.
Happy Birthday to the YMCA of Middle TN. They just celebrated their 150th anniversary! A lot has changed with the Y over the years. I have personally seen some of that firsthand when I was a long-time board member at the Northwest Family Y and part of their Black Achievers Program. Forrest Sanders has a look back.
- Lelan Statom
