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George Washington Tree grows in Balsam
It’s good to have sources that can help with more than one story.
Take Commissioners’ Chairman Brian McMahan, who we call almost on a weekly basis about county business, for example. When I checked with him Tuesday night about the latest airport developments, I remembered his strong interest in history and asked him about the George Washington Tree as well.
My husband Richard came across an interesting deed a few weeks ago during his map-making research. “You ought to check this out,” he said, handing me a copy of the deed located on page 594 in Book 112.
Filed on March 31, 1932, it is a document that transfers ownership of a certain Balsam white oak and the 30-foot circle that surrounds it, from Joseph Key Kenney to the George Washington Bicentennial Commission of “Washington City,” D.C., which was created by an act of the U.S. Congress on Dec. 2, 1924, in advance of Feb. 22, 1932, the 200th birthday of the father of our country. The deed describes the tree as being 36 inches in diameter two feet off the ground and located in Scotts Creek Township near the Southern Railway station at Balsam.
That depot is no longer standing, but the tree’s proximity to Balsam Baptist Church makes it easy to spot. It helps that a large, hand-painted sign (right) hangs on the tree’s (poison) ivy-covered trunk.
In addition to transferring the oak and its surrounding real estate to the GWBC, Kenney includes instruction on how succeeding generations should treat his treasured tree:
“All persons are forever enjoined from ever cutting, felling, damaging or in any way injuring this tree and are earnestly requested, by the party of the first part (Kenney), to look after and keep beautified the grounds around said tree and to preserve and protect this tree, if it should become diseased to give it proper treatment, keep it properly trimmed and pruned, cutting any dead limbs when necessary, to prevent disease.”
Key also lets us know exactly what is to be done if the tree succumbs to disease or old age:
“If at any time this tree should die, then any citizen or citizens are requested and given authority to remove this tree, grubbing up the roots and plant in the same place another tree, preferably the same species of white oak.”
But back to Chairman Brian. He did in fact have some information about Kenney’s arboreal legacy.
“Not a Sunday passes that I don’t look at that tree on my way to church,” said McMahan, who attends services at Balsam Baptist. “I’d always noticed the sign and wondered about the tree’s history.”
This huge white oak, located just off Candlestick Lane near the site of the old Balsam Depot, was dedicated on Feb. 22, 1932, as the George Washington Tree. The tree stands in the center of a 30-foot circle deeded to the George Washington Bicentennial Commission by Joseph Key Kenney.
His questions were answered by legendary Sylva journalist and author John Parris, who featured the tree in a Feb. 21, 1993, column, McMahan said.
It turns out that Kenney moved to Balsam from Georgia in 1909 after building the Balsam Springs Hotel, which is still feeding and housing guests under the name Balsam Mountain Inn.
The current sign on the George Washington Tree was erected by Joseph Kenney’s granddaughter, Betty Kenney Smathers.
Internet research uncovered the fact that the George Washington Bicentennial celebration was a big deal three-quarters of a century ago. The resolution that established the commission stated “The Congress of the United States has created a Commission consisting of high officers of the Government and a number of citizens appointed by the President, to arrange a fitting nation-wide observance of the Two-Hundredth Anniversary of the birth of George Washington in 1932.
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