A Maine town’s largest elm comes down at 158 years old

BLUE HILL, Maine — After various delays due to rain, lightning and a truck breakdown carrying a crane, the largest elm in Blue Hill was taken down on Aug. 29, along with another elm next to it. The two elms, located on Tenney Hill between the First Congregational Church and George Stevens Academy’s Hinkley House property, had been infected with Dutch elm disease.

A third tree, 75 years old, was removed elsewhere on GSA’s main campus the previous week.

Blue Hill tree warden Phil Norris counted the rings on the larger tree’s stump and determined it was 158 years old, which means it was planted in 1866. Norris’ previous estimation was around 200 years old.

Norris was pleased with the quality and efficiency of arborist Bill Burman and his crew, based in Orrington. The felling and clean-up were done in one day, which included climbing in the trees, with assistance from a bucket truck and a crane. The crane was rented from Black Bear Crane in Hermon.

The next steps are to measure, catalog and sell the lumber, Norris said. His plan is to turn the larger logs into planks and sell the smaller logs whole. According to Norris, GSA will organize an auction of the lumber.

This article appears through a media partnership with the Penobscot Bay Press.