Philomath’s Heritage Tree program has bestowed that distinction on seven trees in the community since its establishment in 2022. Among the first five to be recognized was a huge black cottonwood tree at Marys River Park and Natural Area.
Rising above the park at the end of South Ninth Street, the tree wasn’t easy to access and Tree Board member Giana Bernardini figured that it probably wasn’t getting seen much. So she volunteered to clear a short path, which she plans to maintain. Philomath Public Works then installed a plaque on a boulder at the entrance to the path.
The cottonwood’s age appears to be around 160 years old. To put that in perspective, that’s about the time that the Civil War was ending and noted Black pioneers Reuben and Mary Jane Shipley were living in the vicinity.
“Based on the estimated age, this tree was already decades old when Philomath was incorporated — one of a diminishingly few individuals to have witnessed the history of our town from pioneer settlement to the present,” Michael Brawner wrote in his Heritage Tree nomination in 2022.
Bernardini sparked the idea of a Heritage Tree program in town and as mentioned, she serves on the Tree Board, which falls under the umbrella of city’s Public Works Committee.
“It’s a really beautiful tree and I’d be happy if more folks knew about it and could appreciate being able to get up close to it,” Bernardini told me.
The other six Heritage Trees:
- American elm at Philomath Community Library.
- Giant sequoia in front of Philomath Museum (the community’s Christmas tree).
- Oregon white oak at 24930 Grange Hall Road.
- Deodar cedar on the corner of Applegate and South 15th streets.
- Ponderosa pine at 233 N. Seventh St.
- Bigleaf maple at Mount Union Cemetery.
Bernardini said there were no new Heritage Tree nominations this year.
With this great weather, it’s the perfect time to head out to Marys River Park and get a good look at this grand old tree. Bernardini should be commended for her work to create accessibility.
2. PHS grads on parallel path at UO
Lauren Barlow and Chloe Jurva have a lot in common.
Both graduated from Philomath High School — Barlow in 2020 and Jurva in 2021. Both went to the University of Oregon in Eugene. And both enrolled in the School of Journalism.
And earlier this month, both graduated from UO’s J-school with magna cum laude honors.
Could that be a first — two Philomath grads earning degrees in the journalism school at UO with the magna sum laude distinction? To qualify for the honor, the student must be ranked in the top 5% of the university’s graduating class, so it’s no small feat.
Barlow actually earned her bachelor’s degree at the end of the winter term and accepted an invitation to walk in the school’s June 16 commencement ceremony. Back in April when I wrote a story about earning her degree, she was volunteering as a public relations staffer with Volunteers in Medicine, a free medical clinic nonprofit in Springfield, with responsibilities that include social media, the design and distribution of flyers and serving as a news media contact.
Jurva at last word had been working as the finance director for UO’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America organization and was part of the university’s ad team. She was a public relations major with minors in political science and ethics.
I’ve been covering Philomath for 10 years now and I remember both of those young women. Both were involved with various activities and Lauren once spoke before the School Board to ask for the reinstatement of stoles to be part of graduation attire. I remember Chloe mostly for athletics and I believe she designed the winning chili cook-off poster one year.
Congrats to both and best wishes in future endeavors.
3. Timber pavilion coming to Bald Hill Farm
Bald Hill Farm, which is located northeast of Philomath near the fairgrounds, will be getting a pavilion this fall, the Greenbelt Land Trust announced.
In association with the Timber Framers Guild, the open-air timber-frame pavilion will be used for Greenbelt events and by school and community groups.
“The construction of the pavilion will be like a good old-fashioned barn raising — a weeklong project that brings together timber framers from across the country and beyond, as well as local builders, craftspeople and the general public,” Greenbelt wrote in an email. “Forty volunteers will gather to teach and learn timber framing techniques during the build.”
The organization wrote that it is accepting applications to join the Timber Framers Guild build crew with various skill levels to be accepted. Greenbelt will be hosting and housing the builders and organizers said there are multiple ways that folks can help.
For all of the details and links for how to help with the project, click here.
(Brad Fuqua is publisher/editor of the Philomath News. He can be reached at News@PhilomathNews.com).
