7
HISTORIC TREES OE SANTA ROSA
When they tor© down the Old Court House, some of the trees
were left standing. Most notable were the Auracaria Imbricata,
left on three corners of the Plaza. These are conefers with dark
foliage , bearing heavy cones that birds and squirrels love to
dig into. Sometimes these trees are known locally as the "Singing
Trees", because of the many birds finding the shady boughs ideal
nesting places. Around four o'clock in the afternoon the birds
chirping raise almost as much din as the passing traffic.
these rare specimen trees were brought to Santa Rosa by
a sea captain from Australia and presented to fefenry Weinland,
agriculture commisroner for Sonoma County at the time. They were
planted in 1913 , miring the time of the Court House construction.
The Auracaria Imbriata is disease resisted, and like other
trees from Australia do very well in Sonoma County, but for some
reason or other there are very few of this variety of conefer
in OUJkgOggjjj
of Lebanon in the Burbank Gardens is known the
world over. The body of Luther Burbank is buried under it, accord¬
ing to his wishes. Cedar of Lebanon was used to hold the Temple
of Solomon. A missionary sent a seed from the Holy Land of this
species and Luther Burbank planted it where it stands today.
Close by the Cedar of Lebanon in the Burbank Gardens is a
White Chinese Magnolia. It is close to the fence on Santa Rosa
Avenue. One of the strange but true phenomen about this tree is
t&e fact that year after year it comes into bloom on Lincoln's
Birthday, February 12th, and on February 22, Washington's Birth¬
day, the large white tulip-like blossoms start falling. When
Mr. Burbank's little office building was torn down on what was
then the corner of Tupper Street, he planted the White Chinese
Magnolia in its place.
Of course, the most famous tree known of in our area, is
"the Redwood Tree that was used to build the old church which
was moved to Oulliard Park on Ellis Street. Today it serves as
the repository for Robery Ripley relics, and is a tourist at¬
traction.
Armstrong Woods, near Guerneville has two huge Redwoods;
The Col. Armstrong Tree, 308 feet high, and the Parson Jones Tree,
310 feet high. These trees stand in a grove of 440 acres. The
families of. M,H. LeBaron of Valley Ford , and Lizzie Armstrong
Jones, gave support and financial aid in helping to preserve
the grove of Redwoods. In 1917 Sonoma County purchased the land
for $80,000, and it remained a County Park until
1934-»
when:. it
was given to the State.
*********
On January L7th, 1974- , the following officers were elected
for the coming year of Sonoma County Historical Society.
President; Mrs. W.R.Lippincott
Secretary; Mrs. Robert Doll
Treasurer: Edward Fratini
Board of Directors; Elwin Millerick, George Nissen, Crawford
Brooks, Robert Whiting, Iver Engman, H. A. Lapham.
Museum Curator; Mrs. Helen Lightfoot.
Legal Advisor, Bernard Plover
