Each Monday this spring, we’re providing a weekly focus on local history explorations for kids of all ages that include activities and questions to get you going. This week, we’re focused on our neighborhoods’ oldest living residents…our trees.
This is a great time to be out in the neighborhood: as our trees bloom and leaf out, they silently remind us how much they add to our lives.
The shower of pink petals from the cherry blossoms; the emerging fresh new leaves on the maples and copper beeches. Shade from the afternoon sun. They’ve been waiting patiently all winter to remind us they are here. Take a moment to appreciate them.
Each tree has a story: in most cases, years ago, someone intentionally put it there to grow. Like this giant, the Pearson Pine:
The 130-year-old Pearson Pine, a Portland Heritage Tree, presides over the neighborhood from NE 29th and Fremont. Dairyman and farmer Samuel Pearson planted this tree on purpose in that location to mark the corner of his property back in 1885.
In this week’s installment, we get outside to appreciate (and to identify) the trees in our neighborhood, and to meet a few special ones–the Portland Heritage Trees–which have been here a lot longer than we have and will likely still be here when we’re gone (so, be nice to them).
Click below to get started:
Alameda Old House History 
I went (as well as my sibling and my 4 kids) to Alameda School and know that tree so well. Walking down the stairs from Alameda Terrace to Fremont or down Edgehill it calls out to you. I know pines have a life expectancy of 100-200 years. I wonder about that and trees all over the neighborhood that people cherish. I know that Irvington residents have trees still and sometimes barely standing on borrowed time with many well beyond life expectancy. I sometimes think of that when I see kids playing and people parking cars under these old giants. People are outraged when a tree is taken down but I don’t see this issue much discussed
I like knowing something about the trees…that they MEAN something (or meant something maybe), besides just being beautiful growing things.