The job in working is right near the town green. Got to talking with the lady and she told me about this. Checked it out today. Beautiful white oak.
Very cool piece of American history. I'd love to see one in person one of these days. There are descendants of the Charter Oak planted all over the state: http://oak.conncoll.edu:8080/notabletrees/CharterOakDescendants.jsp
Very cool. I didn't know about this. I want a Charter Oak descendant for my property. Could one of you fine gentlemen who lives/works around one of 'em hook a brother up?
Ill see if any acorns are on the ground and ask the woman today as i have a few more days working there. Her circa 1760 home is in the historic district.
Every kid in Connecticut learns about the Charter Oak in school at some point. Whether the legend is true or not we'll never know, but it's remarkable nonetheless. In the state house there is furniture on the assembly floor that is made from the Charter Oak. Ahh... see now you got me started and my state history mechanism has fired off. It's hard to shut down once it has engaged.
Anything that is made of its wood is deeply venerated by the inhabitants, and is regarded as very precious. I went all about the town with a citizen whose ancestors came over with the Pilgrims in the Quaker City -- in the Mayflower, I should say -- and he showed me all the historic relics of Hartford. He showed me a beautiful carved chair in the Senate Chamber, where the bewigged and awfully homely old-time Governors of the Commonwealth frown from their canvasse overhead. "Made from Charter Oak," he said. I gazed upon it with inexpressible solicitude. He showed me another carved chair in the House, "Charter Oak," he said. I gazed again with interest. Then we looked at the rusty, stained and famous old Charter, and presently I turned to move away. But he solemnly drew me back and pointed to the frame. "Charter Oak," said he. I worshipped. We went down to Wadsworth's Atheneum, and I wanted to look at the pictures, but he conveyed me silently to a corner and pointed to a log, rudely shaped somewhat like a chair, and whispered, "Charter Oak." I exhibited the accustomed reverence. He showed me a walking stick, a needlecase, a dog-collar, a three-legged stool, a boot-jack, a diner-table, a ten-pen alley, a tooth-pick, a ---- I interrupted him and said, "Never mind -- we'll bunch the whole lumber year, and call it ---" "Charter Oak," he said. "Well," I said, "now let us go and see some Charter Oak, for a change." I meant that for a joke. But how was he to know that, being a stranger? He took me around and showed me Charter Oak enough to build a plank road from here to Great Salt Lake City. - Mark Twain, 1868
I thought the same thing. Did my ears perk up when she mentioned that. Its on the Windham town green for anyone interested in seeing it.
Cool! I know for a fact that I've never seen one. That coin was minted in 1935 or is that just commemorating the death of the tree?
Sorry coin nerd term! Its not a rare coin per se. You can buy one for a price. Most of them exist as new uncirculated condition. Mine is lightly circulated. Evidently spent at face value at the time and used as money for a while. Sometimes the mint put extras in circulation rather than melt them down. There's also a 1936 Bridgeport half dollar with PT Barnum on it.
Thanks for the clarification/backstory. I have a few oddball US and foreign coins but never took to collecting seriously (yet).
