Linden Oak Explained

Linden Oak
Species:	White oak
Binomial:	Quercus alba
Location:	North Bethesda, Maryland
Coordinates:	39.0228°N -77.1022°W
Seeded:	c.
Custodian:	Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission

The Linden Oak was a large white oak tree in North Bethesda, Maryland, beside the junction of Rockville Pike and Rock Creek Park's Beach Drive.

Believed to have been seeded around 1718, the white oak was among the country's oldest. It was with a crown spread of when measured by the Maryland Big Tree Program in February 2008.^[1] The tree died in 2022 and was removed in July 2023.^[2]

Significance

The tree was seeded around 1718, according to a 1978 assessment of the tree's historic value for the Maryland Historic Trust. The origin of the name "Linden Oak" is unknown.

In 1976, the state's Maryland Bicentennial Commission proclaimed the oak a Maryland Bicentennial Tree because it "stood its ground, survived the American Revolution, and continues to serve an appreciative nation."^[3]

In the early 1980s, planners of the Washington Metro transit line changed the planned course of the Red Line to spare the tree at an estimated cost of $2 to 4 million.^[4]

In 2020, the tree lost an enormous branch. By spring 2022, the tree had died, at an estimated age of more than 300 years.

On June 10, 2023, officials said that the tree would be removed during the week of June 12, 2023, citing safety concerns. Local government and civic groups discussed with the park service ways to honor the Linden Oak's place in the community history.^[5] They decided that the tree's lower trunk would remain onsite as a memorial after its removal, and a portion of the tree's wood would be made into a sculpture by a local chainsaw artist.^[6] Montgomery Parks postponed the removal until early to mid-July pending a Historic Area Work Permit.^{[7] [8]}

The tree was removed on July 18, 2023. A part of the felled Linden Oak was carved into a bench by local "chainsaw artist" Colin Vale. It was installed at Ken-Gar Palisades Park in nearby Kensington in December 2023.^[9]

Plaques

The Linden Oak is acknowledged by three on-site plaques.

• The first plaque, placed in July 1976 by the Maryland Bicentennial Commission and the Maryland Forest Service, celebrates the "Maryland Bicentennial Tree" for its great age.^{[10] [11]}
• The second plaque, placed by the Montgomery County Department of Parks (also 1976) celebrates the "Linden Oak" as "the fourth largest of its species in the state of Maryland and the largest in Montgomery County". An age of over 250 years, height of over and crown spread of over are cited.
• The third plaque, placed by the Montgomery County Department of Park and Planning (no date), honors Idamae Garrott, a local politician and champion of the environment. Owing to her efforts in 1973, the adjacent stretch of the Washington Metro (Red Line) was built in an arc diverting around the tree to avoid disturbing it.^{[12] [13]}

See also

• Wye Oak, a larger white oak in Wye Mills, Maryland, that was destroyed by high winds in 2002
• Arbutus Oak, another white oak tree in Arbutus, Maryland, that was saved during the construction of Interstate 95
• List of individual trees

Notes and References

1. Web site: Big Tree Champions of Maryland . July 23, 2023 . . en-us.
2. News: Lukert . Luke . July 18, 2023 . An oak standing since America's birth comes down after its death in Montgomery Co. . en . . July 23, 2023.
3. News: Latson . Samantha . July 7, 2023 . One of Maryland’s oldest trees will be turned into a sculpture . The Washington Post.
4. Web site: Fenston . Jacob . The Linden Oak was spared during Metro construction. Now it will be chainsaw art . July 26, 2023 . . en-us.
5. Web site: Parkwood Residents Association Listserve, Montgomery County, MD - Google Groups . subscription.
6. News: Griffin . Elia . Say goodbye to the county's 300-year-old white oak tree this weekend . June 10, 2023 . . June 10, 2023.
7. News: Montgomery Parks postpones removal of Linden Oak Tree . June 14, 2023 . Montgomery Parks . June 13, 2023.
8. News: Griffin . Elia . Removal of the historic Linden Oak postponed to early, mid-July . June 30, 2023 . . June 30, 2023.
9. News: Pusatory . Matt . Transformation of centuries-old tree now complete in Montgomery County . December 15, 2023 . WUSA9 . December 8, 2023.
10. "Web site: Linden Oak . . February 1, 2016 . November 27, 1978 . October 26, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161026165537/https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/stagsere/se1/se5/017000/017900/017901/pdf/msa_se5_17901.pdf.
11. Web site: 2013 Register of Champion Trees . Montgomery County Forest Conservancy District Board . 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140304160811/http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DEP/Resources/Files/downloads/Trees/ChampTree_Online2013_LowRes.pdf . March 4, 2014.
12. News: Churchville . Victoria . Sweeping Vista Featured: Special Features Give Grosvenor Station Distinctive Character . . August 24, 1984 . C1 . .
13. News: Perez-Rivas . Manuel . Going Out on a Limb To Save County Trees . July 23, 2023 . . August 23, 2001 . ME12 . .