
Historic Buttonwood Tree - Haddonfield, NJ
N 39° 53.897 W 075° 01.893
18S E 497302 N 4416468
This absolutely huge, pre-colonial tree is part of the tree brigade which line the store fronts of Kings Highway in historic Haddonfield. Its leaves saw first hand the Revolutionary War and shaded the troops.
Waymark Code: WM8J84
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 04/08/2010
Views: 10
Kings Highway, the Kings Road through Haddonfield to Philadelphia has a marker in a Buttonwood tree first placed there by the Chapter in March of 1899. It reads, The British army passed under these trees after evacuating Philadelphia, June 1778. The plaque is too high up in the air to get a clear photo of it.
Also within walking distance of this historic buttonwood and the other historic buttonwoods, stands the Indian King Tavern, once called the American House (circa 1750), which was pivotal in the events of the Revolutionary War. This tree was here before the tavern was conceived.
I only discovered this tree because I sent away for the Haddonfield Historic District nomination form. In it, I noticed that there was contributing tree. How odd I thought. I investigated, looked up 25 feet and saw the marker I have never noticed over the last 40 years.
This is the first time I have ever waymarked a living contributing "thing" to a historic district. To provide evidence of this, the following narrative comes from the Haddonfield NRHP District nomination form, created March 16, 1979, evaluated April 18, 1980 and finally approved on July 21, 1982.
In front of #209 is a noteworthy buttonwood tree over 200 years old. A historical plaque on the tree reads: 'During the Revolutionary War the British Army passed under these buttonwood trees when they evacuated Philadelphia June 19, 1778 on their way to Monmouth Courthouse.' The second buttonwood tree was failing and was cut down in 1977.
If you go to this WEBSITE, you will see where all the free parking in town is located as well as all the other historical areas. Check it out!
One last thing, here is the LINK to the Haddonfield Historical Society. Check that out as well!
