Why you should visit Millennium Grove, Gazette scavenger hunt
CHILLICOTHE ― With local and national history and wide-open green space, Parks and Recreation Director Bill Bonner said Millennium Grove is one of Chillicothe's best-kept secrets.
To welcome the new Millennium arriving on January 1, 2000, the U.S. Department of Agriculture donated historically significant trees to all 50 states. Bonner said Ohio was supposed to have five groves of 20 trees throughout the state, but Chillicothe ultimately got all 100 trees.
Bonner said most of the historical groves intended for the 50 states weren't planted. Most that were planted didn't survive. Chillicothe's Millennium Grove was the only grove with all 100 historical trees.
"At the most, there are five of groves from that executive order to actually took place in 1997," Bonner said. "Our grove is definitely the most extensive of all of them and certainly the most unique of all of them."
Since 2003, the grove has been located off Bridge Street near Christopher Inn & Suites. The 10-acre grove has a covered picnic shelter and a .5-mile walking path. However, visitors will likely walk much further while looking at each historic tree.
The grove is separated into seven sections: Ohio History, American History, Presidents, Famous Women, Famous Men, Civil War North and Civil War South. Each tree has significant historical ancestry and is a direct descendant of a tree that is related to an event, place or person.
A White Ash tree in the Ohio section comes from the home of Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin," a novel that illustrated the conditions experienced by enslaved African Americans. She lived in Cincinnati for much of her life.
Beverly Gray, director of the David Nickens Heritage Center, said oral history indicates that Stowe was visiting family in Chillicothe while she was editing Uncle Tom's Cabin. The family home was used in the Underground Railroad and still stands on South Mulberry Street.
The willow tree in the southeast corner of the grove stands about 45 feet tall. It is one of the first trees you notice when you enter the grove. This willow came from the grave site of Napoleon Bonaparte, after being propagated to Andrew Johnson’s estate. Having connections to two significant individuals, who were years and continents apart, gives this willow tree a unique connection to the past.
Bonner said, "The two that probably get the most attention have been, amazingly enough, been to the moon and back."
Two Sycamore trees have grown from seeds taken to the Moon on Apollo XIV by Stuart Roosa to honor Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon. Armstrong was from Wapakoneta, Ohio.
The grove also has trees with connections to John F. Kennedy, Johnny Appleseed, George Washington Carver, Theodore and Eleanor Roosevelt, the Wright Brothers, Henry David Thoreau, Amelia Earhart, Helen Keller and more.
Millennium Grove is located at 129 N. Plaza Blvd.
Scavenger Hunt
Visit Millennium Grove this month and complete this scavenger hunt. Send your answers and a picture of you at the park to mbecker@gannett.com for a chance to be featured in the Chillicothe Gazette.
This tree's ancestor is located at Graceland, the mansion of the "Hound Dog" singer.
Find this tree that is planted in honor of the fourth president of the United States.
The fruit of this Ohio State tree is considered to be a token of good luck.
Find this tree that combines the state south of Ohio and America's favorite morning beverage.
This tree was planted in honor of the most famous Confederate army general.
Megan Becker is a reporter for the Chillicothe Gazette. Call her at 740-349-1106, email her at mbecker@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @BeckerReporting
This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Why you should visit Millennium Grove, Gazette scavenger hunt
