Indian Signal Tree

[spirithorse]

Hello,
I wanted to pass along a pic of what I believe to be an indian signal tree that I found on my parents farm in Dungannon, Columbiana County, Ohio. We always thought this was a funny looking tree and wondered how it grew that way. I happened to stumble upon a website about another indian signal tree located in Akron, Summit Co., Ohio. It is believed that the indians shaped young saplings this way to mark their trails. Neighbors have told us that our farm was a crossing grounds for the indians. In my research I have found that back then Dungannon was called the Painted Post, because the indians would paint on a tree about battles they won as they were traveling through. The Great Trail came from PA into Ohio and forking at Dungannon, one fork going to Gnadenhutten and the other going to Fort Laurens. An indian historian friend of mine believes this tree dates back to the 1760s. The tree is a red ash, also known as pumpkin ash. I'm hoping to get it registered as a historical site, and hopefully get grants to restore and do the maintenance needed to keep it healthy. It is not in too great of shape right now. It has been neglected for 200 years. It is a miracle it is still standing!

Shannon

PS I'm having trouble posting the pic, so I will email it to Linda to have her post.

http://www.saponitown.com/images/ndntree.jpg

[Linda]

This is very odd. We're building a house in the woods near where Occoneechee Island was, (now inundated by a dam). I thought there was a sign I should choose the lot because there was a tree with my initial on it. We've cut the driveway to circle the tree. It looks like your signal tree. I'll take this as another good sign.

Here's a pic of it as we found it last spring.

http://www.saponitown.com/images/HouseSite.jpg

I don't think it's more than 60 years old. It's on land that was owned at one time by Meriweather Lewis (as in Lewis and Clark). A descendant still owns a number of lots on this road. The road leading into it is called "Old National Highway." I'm curious was national highway that was. Highway One is the only national highway I know of that ran through the area. If that's what it is, it would be the same as the Great Trading Path.

Here's the link to the Akron tree thought to be a signal tree. http://www.ci.akron.oh.us/Tour/SignalTree.htm From the shape of it, there has been cleared farmland around it most of it's life.