Protecting Lewiston's historic 'Freedom Tree'

350-year-old white oak stood through the Underground Railroad & War of 1812 eras

By Lee Simonson

Owner of Lewiston-based Saving Oaks

A crew from Saving Oaks recently treated what is believed to be Lewiston’s oldest and most iconic tree in an effort to protect it from oak wilt, a deadly fungal disease that has already killed oak trees across the Niagara River in Ontario.

The towering oak, located on Lower River Road, is known as the “Freedom Tree” and is estimated to be approximately 350 years old. Its age would make it a “witness tree” – a tree that was alive during important historical events and still stands as a living connection to the past.

The tree took root about the same time explorer Father Hennepin sailed up the Niagara River in 1678. During the War of 1812, it shaded the forested trail that British forces used to attack the Village of Lewiston and burn it to the ground in December 1813. Decades later, the tree stood as a marker for enslaved freedom seekers making their way to nearby Tryon’s Folly. The site is remembered as the final stop on the Underground Railroad in Lewiston for fugitives preparing to cross the Niagara River into Canada and freedom – thus the tree’s name, the “Freedom Tree.”

The tree has been owned for the past 48 years by Mrs. Jane Holt, whose property has long been defined by its commanding presence. Holt lives in a home built in 1956 that received the distinction of being named “Home of the Year” by Good Housekeeping magazine in the 1950s. It was also featured on the Niagara Falls Service League’s Tour of Homes in 1959.

“We love the tree, and it has defined and enhanced our property and neighborhood for many lifetimes,” Holt said. “It’s important that we do what we can to safeguard it.”

A massive horizontal branch fell from the tree in August 2018, significantly transforming its profile. Despite the loss, the tree’s healthy root system and canopy remained intact.

To help preserve the tree for future generations, state-licensed applicators from Saving Oaks injected it with a specially formulated systemic fungicide and supplemental nutrients. The treatment is designed to help prevent oak wilt infection while supporting the tree’s overall health.

Oak wilt is caused by a fungus that interferes with an oak tree’s ability to transport water. The disease can kill susceptible oak trees rapidly. The fungus can spread underground through connected root systems and above ground through sap-feeding beetles that carry fungal spores from infected trees to fresh wounds on healthy trees.

Oak wilt is a devastating disease that has no cure, so being proactive is important to protect high-value trees, especially those so close to where trees have been killed just across the river.

Oak trees in the Niagara-on-the-Lake region have been killed by oak wilt, placing communities along both sides of the Niagara River on alert. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has installed monitoring devices in Youngstown and Niagara Falls to help detect the sap beetles capable of spreading the fungus.

Preventive oak wilt treatments must be administered by licensed applicators. Saving Oaks (savingoaks.com) specializes in protecting valuable oak trees through direct tree-injection treatments that place protective materials inside the tree, where they can be distributed through its vascular system.

We don’t cut trees down; we try to save them. Protecting Lewiston’s Freedom Tree is about more than preserving a large and beautiful tree. It’s about safeguarding a living landmark that has been a part of Lewiston’s rich history for more than three centuries. This tree has survived storms, development, war and generations of change. We want to give it the best possible chance to remain part of Lewiston’s magnificent landscape for many years to come.

Hopefully, we can dodge the bullet. In the meantime, we can do our best to prevent infection and help the tree continue to thrive. We’ll do whatever we can to keep it healthy and standing.

State licensed applicators Lee Simonson and Mike Judson of Saving Oaks vaccinate Lewiston’s iconic “Freedom Tree” against oak wilt disease, which has killed trees across the river in Ontario. Residents are encouraged to be vigilant and report oak trees that have lost leaves at the top.