NPR

Alive Since The 1600s, An Oak Tree Is Taken Down In Washington, D.C.

When the tree started growing around 1692, the Salem witch trials were being held in the American Colonies and Spanish colonists were retaking control of Santa Fe.
A red oak in Washington, D.C., that's estimated to have started its life in 1692 developed a fatal crack in its trunk.

Generations have come and gone under its branches. Its leaves soaked up rays from the sun that shone on the American Colonies. But after an estimated 325 years of life, an oak tree in a residential neighborhood in Washington,

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR2 min readCrime & Violence
Luis Rubiales Faces Sexual Assault Trial For Unsolicited Kiss At World Cup
The case against the ex-Spanish soccer federation head who kissed player Jenni Hermoso without consent is going to trial, a judge ruled. Three others will be tried for allegedly pressuring Hermoso.
NPR3 min read
Tornadoes Tear Through The Southeastern U.S. As Storms Leave 3 Dead
Forecasters warned a wave of dangerous storms in the U.S. could march through parts of the South early Thursday, after deadly storms a day earlier spawned damaging tornadoes and massive hail.
NPR5 min readCrime & Violence
Migrant Crime Is Politically Charged, But The Reality Is More Complicated
Republicans have raised the alarm about a migrant crime wave. Nationally, crime is down even as immigration has surged, but the concerns are real in some neighborhoods.

Related Books & Audiobooks