Countdown Until Basking Ridge's Mighty Oak Is Cut Down

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — The historic 600-year-old white oak tree in the center and heart of Basking Ridge has roughly 52 days left to stand proud and tall until it is cut down.

The dismantling of the tree is scheduled to begin Monday, April 24 by Keiling Tree Service of Basking Ridge.

But before the tree will come down there are several events and fundraisers set up to commemorate the beloved tree in town and to help defray the costs of taking down the tree.

• An Evening Of Celebration:

There is a community fundraiser Wednesday, April 19 at the museum in Hillside to celebrate the tree. The event will begin at 6 p.m. with cocktails and Hors D'oeurvres and 7 p.m. concert by Chris Fortin and select musicians.

It will be held in the Lignum Theatrum, 480 Mundet Place, Hillside. Donations are $150 per person and all proceeds will go towards the Oak Tree. For more information visit CLICK HERE.

The event is sponsored by the Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church, Bernards Township, Friends of Ross Farm, and Historical Society of Somerset Hills.

• Historic Walking Tour:

There will be a Historic Walking Tour on April 23 - Click Here.

Walk and learn about famous, and not so famous, historic tidbits as you walk the historic downtown village of Basking Ridge in Bernards Township.

Start at the historic 1809 Brick Academy schoolhouse as you learn what it was like to attend a prepatory school of its time. Stroll over to this historic district of Basking Ridge, home to small shops, churches, homes and eateries. Meet some of the local residents and characters that are part of the tour.

Narrated by local resident and The Historical Society of Somerset Hills trustee Paula Axt, come for an entertaining hour of great stories and lore from the wonderful past as it comes alive.

• Oak Tree T-Shirt Fundraiser:

Sixth graders at William Annin Middle School designed a T-shirt to celebrate and remember the beloved historic Oak Tree. This shirt was designed by Hannah Shen from William Annin Middle School.

Shirts are on sale online now and will be at Charter Day. Proceeds from the shirt sales will be given to the Historical Society of the Somerset Hills in order to benefit the Community Oak. To buy a shirt CLICK HERE.

• Acorns:

Acorns were collected about 12 to 13 years ago and several seedlings were purchased and planted at various homes in the area. The THSSH are planning on transplanting one of these seedlings to a site on the church property hopefully sometime in 2017 (not the exact spot of the current tree).

(Image via William Annin Middle School T-Shirt)

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