Madison residents 'heartbroken' after potentially more than 300-year-old tree uprooted
MARSHALL - Madison County author Michael Amos Cody imagined the scenario in a short story included in his second book, "The Twilight Reel," but now the scenario has become real life: Marshall's famed oak tree was uprooted April 1 due to high winds.
Aileen Payne, a Marshall Town Board member, said that for the residents of Walnut, Marshall and Madison County, it's hard to overstate the importance of the tree, which sat in front of the nonoperational United Methodist Church in the Jewel Hill neighborhood of Marshall.
"All the people of the Walnut community - adults that have gone on and their children that remain - have lots of memories and stories that were made and told under that tree where elderly men would sit with their pocket knife and whittle away," Payne said. "Two I remember especially are Harley Gosnell and Walter Allen. If they got thirsty, they would walk over to Bobby Johnson's store and get a soda. This tree was part of everyone's life in the Walnut community."
Tonya Hensley also remembers the oak tree as a spot for older residents to gather with friends and tell stories.
"I remember going by it so many times to and from school. I remember my 'Papaw,' Jack Davis, and all the old men sitting under it telling stories," Hensley said. "Even when I was little, I loved to play under it when he would let me go with him. Now he’s buried on the other side of that hill next to both my sweet parents."
Sandy West and her husband Ron opened French Broad Rafting in 1981, and the couple moved to the Walnut community that same year.
"We raised our family and ran a rafting company by that mighty oak," West said. "I am truly heartbroken."
Prior to the construction of U.S. 25-70 bypass, all traffic came through Walnut, making the tree an especially recognizable landmark.
"The main highway used to go through Walnut by the church. Everyone in Madison County used to be familiar with that tree," West said. "We raised two daughters there."
After their youngest daughter died in 2012 in a single-car collision at 26, Sandy and Ron West deeded all their Walnut property to their surviving daughter, Heather, and moved. Heather is the general manager at Hot Springs Resort & Spa.
"Sometimes we have to change things in big ways to survive the grief journey," West said.
But the memories remain.
Heather West said the tree has been her "daily view, compass and north star" throughout her 37 years.
"She taught me so much, she sewed the thread of past into present, a beacon of time and hope. She stood strong and accepted change. She knew how to dance in the wind, provide respite to weary travels and bring calm and peace despite her tumultuous past. Even though she had dark moments of tragedy, she grew, she changed, she rooted deeply.
"I hope I can honor her by accepting those lessons in my life. I have shed many tears at her loss. The view outside my windows has forever changed. I double take when I walk outside because she is gone. Thank you dear friend for teaching me so much."
Future plans
Kimberly Orr Ramsey, a board member at Walnut Community Center, said residents flooded the scene after news of the tree falling broke April 1.
According to Ramsey, the community center and a local organization, Madison Has Heart, which owns the property, plan to memorialize the tree.
Ramsey said she and Franklin have been talking and came up with three points that they'd like to see happen.
"We definitely want some kind of memorial piece made out of the body of the tree. We're thinking that it will reside in the community center, whether that's a table, a bench or a carving, something," Ramsey said. "That also recognizes the building at the space where the tree is, is in dire need of repairs, and there's not money for that. So, we're thinking maybe there will be some way to raise funds to restore that historic church."
Ramsey said she saw as many as 30 people gathering when she was on site April 1, some appearing as quickly as 15 minutes after the tree went down.
"When we were out there (April 1) there were a lot of people interested in getting a piece of that tree. They were picking up bark or asking about getting some of the tree," Ramsey said. "So, we're thinking about if we can get someone to make some keepsake pieces out of it for community members. Maybe that would be a way to raise money, too.
"So, those are the three things. We want a memorial piece, we want people to be able to have a piece of the tree, too, and raising funds is definitely something we're hopeful for."
According to Ramsey, the organizations will not rush but instead will be intentional about its plans for the tree.
"The tree is stable and fine," Ramsey said. "I don't know if a tree can be a cornerstone, but it was. We have one opportunity to do right by it, so we're going to take our time and look at different opportunities.
"We really want to try to do justice to the community and to the tree."
Ramsey said residents with ideas or skill sets relating to the memorial can reach out to Madison Has Heart or to Walnut Community Center.
Walnut Community Center is available at walnutnc.communitycenter@gmail.com. Madison Has Heart is available at madisonhasheart@gmail.com, or 828-206-2332.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Residents 'heartbroken' after landmark Marshall oak tree uprooted
