Brewery District in Columbus in Franklin County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Heather’s Tree

The Roots of the Grange Insurance Audubon Center

Photographed by J. J. Prats, October 24, 2022

1. Heather’s Tree Interpretive Panel

Inscription.
Along the western edge of what is now the Grange Insurance Audubon Center stands a string of old trees, planted during the days of industrial use on the site. Long before the first spade of dirt was turned to build it, the Center’s first Director, Heather Starck, set her eyes on a majestic White Mulberry—the tree that stands before you now—as a “home base” for the design of the Center.

Early on, the tree was used as a gathering place for planning meetings, community tours and school programs. Despite potential encroachment from utility lines, building construction and even the construction of the decking that now protects it, the tree stood firm and fast—just like Heather’s commitment to the Audubon mission to conserve and restore natural ecosystems for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity.

Because this tree was a perfect representation of Heather’s solid, unwavering dedication, project consultants aptly dubbed the White Mulberry “Heather’s Tree” to ensure its protection during the construction of the Center and concurrent park improvements.

Thanks to Heather, this White Mulberry remains as a landmark to conservation, a reminder of what used to be…and a celebration of what the site has become. We welcome you to take a rest under Heather’s Tree and enjoy all that Scioto Audubon Metro Park and the Grange Insurance Audubon Center have to offer.

Erected 2009.

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Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Horticulture & Forestry.

Location. 39° 56.783′ N, 83° 0.618′ W. Marker is in Columbus, Ohio, in Franklin County. It is in the Brewery District. It can be reached from West Whittier Street west of South Front Street. It is at the Audubon Center at the westernmost end of the street. It is at the far end of the building from the parking lot. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 505 W Whittier St, Columbus OH 43215, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Ohio’s Scioto Valley.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: An Ecological Restoration Story (within shouting distance of this marker);

Heather’s Tree Marker is Under the Tree image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J. J. Prats, October 24, 2022

2. Heather’s Tree Marker is Under the Tree

A Hive's Lifecycle (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Trinity Lutheran Seminary (approx. 0.7 miles away); Columbus Civic Center Historic District (approx. 0.7 miles away); The Main Street Bridge (approx. 0.7 miles away); The Gary L. Ogle Complex at Berliner Park (approx. 0.7 miles away); a different marker also named The Main Street Bridge (approx. 0.7 miles away); Lou Berliner (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbus.

Also see . . . History of the Grange Insurance Audubon Center and the Whittier Penninsula. Excerpt:

In 2001, Audubon began meeting with city officials to discuss a plan for the Whittier Peninsula, an industrial strip of land that, coincidentally, is positioned on a major migratory bird flyway. The integration of a nature center and new park with appropriate commercial and residential development was at the heart of this plan.

In 2003, Audubon Ohio, Franklin County Metro Parks, and the City of Columbus agreed to collaborate on a project to reclaim and restore 160 acres on the Whittier Peninsula. Of this acreage, Metro Parks will lease 84 acres, and Audubon
Photographed by J. J. Prats, October 24, 2022

3. Heather’s Tree at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center Terrace in Columbus, Ohio
Ohio will sublease 5 acres from Metro Parks for the Grange Insurance Audubon Center. The Whittier Peninsula was renamed The Scioto Audubon Metro Park in early 2007 and the Grange Insurance Audubon Center opened in August 2009.

(Submitted on November 6, 2022.)

Credits. This page was last revised on March 30, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 6, 2022, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 368 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 6, 2022, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.