Metasequoia glyptostroboides (Dawn Redwood). . This tree was originally only known from fossil remains dating back 70 million years until living specimens were happily discovered in China in 1944. Some of the seeds gathered in a 1947 expedition were given to Carl S. English, horticulturist at the gardens at the Chittenden Locks in Seattle. He shared seeds with his Bellingham friend, Mary Jane Moser, who planted them and gave one of the seedlings to LeVern Freimann. Knowing this would become a large tree, Mr. Freimann planted it on Courthouse grounds in 1953. The plans drawn in 1990 for a major remodeling of the Courthouse called for the tree to be removed. Tony Idczak, Parks Horticulturist, pointed out the significance of the tree to County Executive, Shirley Van Zanten, who agreed the tree should be saved. She directed the architect to reconfigure the building and, thus, this rare and interesting tree has been preserved for the enjoyment of generations to come. This is one of the largest living specimens of this tree in the United States.
This tree was originally only known from fossil remains
dating back 70 million years until living specimens were
happily discovered in China in 1944. Some of the seeds
gathered in a 1947 expedition were given to Carl S. English,
horticulturist at the gardens at the Chittenden Locks in
Seattle. He shared seeds with his Bellingham friend,
Mary Jane Moser, who planted them and gave one of the
seedlings to LeVern Freimann. Knowing this would
become a large tree, Mr. Freimann planted it on Courthouse
grounds in 1953. The plans drawn in 1990 for a major
remodeling of the Courthouse called for the tree to be
removed. Tony Idczak, Parks Horticulturist, pointed out
the significance of the tree to County Executive,
Shirley Van Zanten, who agreed the tree should be saved.
She directed the architect to reconfigure the building and,
thus, this rare and interesting tree has been preserved for
the enjoyment of generations to come. This is one of the
largest living specimens of this tree in the United States.
122° 28.794′ W. Marker is in Bellingham, Washington, in Whatcom County. It is at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Central Avenue, on the left when traveling north on Grand Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham WA 98225, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Washington’s Puget Sound Region. It is also on the American Pacific Coast, in the Pacific Northwest, and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor. Globally, it is in North America, in the Cascade Range, in the Inside Passage, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere.
Other markers no longer nearby. 1857 Pickett Bridge (was about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line but has been permanently removed); Pickett Bridge (was about 600 feet away but has been permanently removed).
More about this marker. The marker is located underneath the tree, in the southeastern corner of the grounds of the Whatcom County Courthouse.
"Metasequoia glyptostroboides, the dawn redwood, is a fast-growing, endangered deciduous conifer. It is the sole living species of the genus Metasequoia, one of three genera in the subfamily Sequoioideae of the family Cupressaceae. It now survives only in wet lower slopes and montane river and stream valleys in the border region of Hubei and Hunan provinces and Chongqing municipality in south-central China, notably in Lichuan county in Hubei. Although the shortest of the redwoods, it can grow to 120 ft (37 m) in height."
(Submitted on July 23, 2021.)
Credits. This page was last revised on July 23, 2021. It was originally submitted on July 22, 2021, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 754 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on July 22, 2021, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. 2. submitted on July 23, 2021, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
