Cape May in Cape May County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Space Shuttle Tree
On April 4, 1997, the Space Shuttle Columbia was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The 4 day mission orbited the earth 63 times, traveling a total of 1.5 million miles.
Astronaut Gregory Linteris, a New Jersey native, took Eastern White Pine seeds with him on that flight. NASA gave those seeds to the New Jersey Forestry Service which grew only 35 trees. The seeds germinated in only seven days, about half the normal germination time. They were dedicated to the memory of the seven crewmembers that perished in the Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003. It is called a "Space Shuttle Tree."
By placing the tree on the grounds of the Colonial House Museum, Cape May positions the very old and the very new in a very visible location.
Erected 2012 by The Cape May Shade Tree Commission to the Greater Cape May Historical Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Horticulture & Forestry. A significant historical date for this entry is April 4, 1997.
Location. 38° 56.081′ N, 74° 55.243′ W. Marker is in Cape May, New Jersey, in Cape May County. Marker is on Washington Street just south of Franklin Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 653 1/2 Washington St, Cape May NJ 08204, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least
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Credits. This page was last revised on January 25, 2022. It was originally submitted on January 25, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 310 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 25, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
