Arkansas Champion Southern Catalpa / Mail Carrier Smith Catalpa - Washington, AR
N 33° 46.547 W 093° 40.854
15S E 436955 N 3737503
The State of Arkansas has not only registered this Southern Catalpa tree found in the Historic Washington State Park in Washington, Arkansas as a historic tree, it is was also designated by the State of Arkansas as the Champion Southern Catalpa.
Waymark Code: WM12HKF
Location: Arkansas, United States
Date Posted: 05/31/2020
Views: 0
The historic Mail Carrier Smith Catalpa tree is found in Washington, AR, along Franklin Street, southeast of where Hamilton Street meets Franklin. The tree is at the entrance into the grounds of the old 1836 Hempstead County Courthouse. This catalpa tree is named after the local main carrier, John H. Smith, who, according to the pamphlet gotten from the Gift Shop and verified by several websites, began delivering mail from Washington, AR to Natchitoches, LA in 1831. It took Smith 10 days to travel his mail route and he road his route twice a month. He would gather seeds from Southern Catalpa trees he found growing along the Red River and scatter these seeds over the land where the 1836 Courthouse was built. This is one of the seedlings that took root and has survived as a witness tree throughout its 197 year lifetime (as of 2020).
The Arkansas Famous and Historical Tree Program (AFHTP) has this Mail Carrier Smith Catalpa registered as tree # 0022 as of August 6, 2004. An official metal tag attached to this tree's trunk by the AFHTP states:
"This tree has been registered as an Arkansas Famous and Historic Tree
Southern Catalpa
Catalpa Bignonioides
is recognized as an Arkansas Famous and Historic Tree for its association with a significant person in local, state or national history with a dual listing as having the potential to yield significant cultural information in local, state or national history.
'MAIL CARRIER SMITH CATALPA"
AFHTP Registered Tree # 0022 August 6, 2004"'
Additionally, this Mail Carrier Smith Catalpa tree was designated as the Arkansas State Champion Catalpa tree in 2010, making it not only famous, but exceptional. A concrete block with a metal plaque mounted on it was placed by the Arkansas Forestry Commission which states:
"Arkansas Champion
Southern Catalpa
Catalpa bignonioides
Arkansas Forestry Commission"
Furthermore, the Arkansas Forest Service website does have it listed as the Arkansas State Champion Southern Catalpa tree. Link to Arkansas Forest Service Champion Southern Catalpa page:
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visit link)
Link to AR State Champion Southern Catalpa announcement:
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Link to historical trees found in Historic Washington State Park, Arkansas:
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