July 3, 2016:

Massive does not describe a tree growing close to the Theodore Roosevelt summer home in Oyster Bay Cove. This tree is a frozen contrarian, a wrinkle skinned gray monolith.

The tree was its own wisdom. On one level, it suggests steadfastness in the face of disease and strong weather. On another level, the roots provide another message…stay put in order to know your community and hold on tight to family, friends, and neighbors.

Green copper wire lightning rods straddle its trunk. In place, they have become embedded in the tree as if the tree is hugging its protector. Strong electric charges are directed into the ground to protect it from damage.

Passers-by stop and stare. The tree demands our attention. It is never going to die       – it will live on to accompany the legacy of the Roosevelt Historical site. The tree is as important as the artifacts inside the buildings.

Light gray roots, two feet in diameter remind me of the conduits in a huge sewage treatment plant I saw in West Babylon’s Southwest Sewer District. The roots alone are something wondrous. Their strength reminds me of the muscle structure of body builders.

Up the trunk, bark wrinkles suggest aged elephant skin. The wrinkles are frozen in place as a sort of aftershock of growth.

Although I was disappointed that we could not enter the house which was closed to visitors, the tree more than made up for that. I circled the tree to get a glimpse of the complete superstructure. I can’t imagine any force strong enough to topple this monolith.

When I first encountered this tree, I thought of my friend Stewart who loved making fine art black and white photographs of ancient beech trees. If for no other reason, the Sagamore Copper Beech Tree is there to remind me of my friend. This tree alone is good enough reason to visit this site.