Fall of an Ancient

One of Olivet’s historic oak trees, which called the campus its home for more than three centuries, has fallen.

The tree was removed Friday, Oct. 18. Provost Maria Davis, Ph.D., said she felt the tree shake the ground around 11:30 a.m. while having a meeting in Mott Academic Center. “The tree had been long dead and the Fall Break Friday was the perfect time for it to be cut down before it fell on its own and possibly hurt someone.”

It was located in the square, lining the pathway from Main Street to Mott.

One of the workers in responsible for cutting and clearing the tree, John, from Ayles Tree Service, estimated the tree to be over 375 years old. What the workers found most interesting is that while cutting into the tree, they found a rock embedded in the wood about halfway up the trunk.

“It was probably placed there while the tree was still very young,” John said, “and the tree grew around it.”

Dean of Student Engagement, Amy Radford-Popp, Ph.D., came to spectate and discuss with Davis what would happen to the wood of this historic tree.

“The base of the Lamp of Learning is made from a piece of a tree that was struck by lightning on Blair lawn,” said Davis.

Radford-Popp noted that this wood could be reused as furniture in the newly-announced Student Center project.