The Balmville Tree Traditional Cache
mhalabuda: No longer able to maintain.
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(small)
Related Web Page
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
On Balmville Road in the Town of Newburgh - NYDEC has designated it
the "smallest state forest in New York."
Driving Directions FROM NYC / NEW JERSEY AREA From George
Washington Bridge, Palisades Parkway North to Bear Mountain Traffic
Circle. Then 9W North to a right on River Road (at Plum Point
condos look for brown sign “To Historic Newburgh and Waterfront”.)
Go north on Marine Drive/Water Street/Leroy St (all the same road)
which is parallel to the Hudson River to right on Balmville Road
(just past the war memorial). Balmville is named after a historic
tree called The Balmville Tree. The Balmville Tree is the oldest
Eastern Cottonwood on record in the United States. The Balmville
Tree is one of 3 trees listed on the National Register of Historic
Places. It's more than 85 feet tall and has a circumference of 25
feet. The people who lived around Newburgh in those days mistakenly
thought that it was a Balm of Gilead, an exotic hybrid poplar
related to cottonwoods. Hence, it was called the "Balm Tree," and
the settlement that grew up around it "Balmville." The hamlet of
Balmville began to appear on maps in the late 18th century. Born in
approximately 1699, the Balmville Tree is at least 300 years old.
And it's a miracle that it's survived that long; Eastern
Cottonwoods normally last about 75 to 100 years.
Today, the tree looks secure behind
its stone wall. It is also as healthy as a 300 year-old can be:
plenty of air, moisture and fertilizer reaches its roots, thanks to
a tree feeding system in the pavement at its base. Also, it no
longer has to fight the wind; its crown is guyed to a steel support
column, rising from the ground beside the tree like a child
protecting its aging parent. The tree's history, which spans three
centuries, helped save it from the whine of chainsaws that
threatened to claim it in 1994. Six consulting arborists had been
asked to inspect the tree and make recommendations for its future.
All recommended removal of the tree due to its advanced age and the
presence of decay. One consultant did write that unusual measures
could, possibly, prolong its life. The Newburgh town council had
voted to remove the tree. However, a group of citizens led by
Richard Severo, whose house looks straight out at the tree, asked
the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
(NYSDEC) to seek still another opinion. Since 1976, the DEC has had
a permanent easement for the preservation and maintenance of the
tree, and it was the DEC that retained ACRT. They visited the tree
and prepared recommendations. There was substantial decay, but they
also noted that the 83 foot tall tree continues to add sufficient
wood each year, and has enough foliage to sustain itself When last
measured, the circumference was more than 26'. PLEASE DO NOT
DISTURB THE ROCK WALL WHEN SEEKING THE CACHE. Lots of traffic and
resident muggles.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Haqre gur guveq oebamr cyndhr, 4gu ebj bs ebpxf qbja. Cyrnfr gnxr pner gb qvfperrgyl cynpr vg onpx rknpgyl nf lbh sbhaq vg. Vg erdhverf qvttvat va gur fabj va gur jvagre.
Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:
Loading Treasures