15
March/April 2019
|
THE DAVEY BULLETIN
Above: Davey installed a lightning protection
system to ward off future lightning damage.
Below: Faculty and students of Longwood
University witnessed lightning strike this
oak. "Students were out there circling the
tree, holding hands around the tree having
their pictures taken. Within 5 minutes, this
one little storm cloud passed by and
unleashed that bolt of lightning. The tree
was smoking and residents said you could
hear the clap of thunder for miles around,"
said Sherry Swinson. No one was hurt.
Witness to History
This Southern Red Oak,
dated to 1595, bore
witness to countless
historic events in Virginia
and the United States.
• 1607 – Virginia is
established as one of
13 original colonies
• 1732 – George
Washington is born
in Westmoreland
County, Virginia
• 1781 – Colonial and
French troops win
the battle at Yorktown,
Virginia, the final
battle of the American
Revolutionary War
• 1865 – The surrender of
the Army of Northern
Virginia at Appomattox
Court House, Virginia,
marks the end of the
U.S. Civil War
• 1920 – The 19th U.S.
constitutional
amendment gives
women the vote
• 1941 – The Pentagon
is built in Arlington,
Virginia
water quality issues impacting the
Potomac River.
Swinson said they want to preserve
the landmark tree as a representation
of physical and intellectual growth.
"And isn't that exactly what we want
for our students?" she said. "Trees
are a symbol of knowledge, and
that goes back to what the
university is all about.
For so many reasons,
this southern red
oak is Longwood's
very special tree."
Above and left: Richmond office crew members
Ron Doggett, foreman, Gerardo Mata Cruz,
climber, and Jose Martinez, groundman, repaired
the lightning damage to the 400-plus year-old
tree in Westmoreland County.
