Eagle Tree
| Eagle Tree | |
|---|---|
 The tree before it fell in 2022 | |
  Eagle Tree 1706 N Short Ave, Compton, CA 90221  Eagle Tree Eagle Tree (California)  Eagle Tree Eagle Tree (the United States) | |
| Species | California sycamore (Platanus racemosa) |
| Coordinates | 33°54′28″N 118°12′41″W / 33.9077°N 118.2114°W |
| Height | 70 ft (21 m) (1987)[1] |
| Girth | 20 ft (6.1 m) (1987)[1] |
| Diameter | 60 in (150 cm) (1859)[2] |
| Date seeded | c. 1672–1737[1][3] |
| Date felled | April 7, 2022 |
The Eagle Tree was a historic California sycamore (Platanus racemosa) tree near the crossing of Long Beach Boulevard and the I-105 in Compton, California. It was known for its status as the marker for the start of the territory of Rancho San Pedro and was named for the eagles that were found nesting in the tree.[4] The tree, which started growing c. 1672–1737, fell in 2022, from a combination of disease and government neglect.
History
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The Eagle Tree was estimated to have been seeded c. 1672–1737.[1][3] The tree dates back to December 1857, when it was first used as the natural boundary point in Mexican surveys to mark the extent of Rancho San Pedro. Many travelers also used it for navigational purposes, as it was a tall landmark amongst the many fields of mustard in the area[4] and the only tree in the vicinity.[5] A neighborhood formed near the tree in 1888, during the incorporation of the City of Compton. During this time, the tree was located near the intersection of Short Avenue and Poppy Avenue.[6] The tree was threatened with removal in 1947 when Standard Oil (now the Chevron Corporation) sought to run an oil pipeline on the rancho's border, believing it was the best place to do so. The Compton Parlor of the Native Daughters of the Golden West advocated for the protection of the tree, leading to a deal being made where the pipeline and the tree would share land.[2][7][8] The Daughters, sponsored by Standard Oil, placed a historic marker and plaque there after the agreement.[9][10]
A designation of the tree as a California Historic Landmark was proposed, but it was never completed.[2] The tree and its accompanying plaque were repeatedly damaged in the 1980s through vandalism and attempts at arson; an apartment building adjacent to the tree was also built at this time.[1] As of 1988, the tree was 70 ft (21 m) tall, with a 50 ft (15 m) canopy spread, and a trunk circumference of approximately 21 ft (6.4 m).[6] Jesus Arroyo took care of the tree starting in 2009, when he moved into the apartment next door. One of the branches fell off the tree in 2015, crushing the roof of one of the apartment buildings. Arroyo had called the city earlier when the branch had stopped sprouting, voicing his concerns, but they did not do anything. After the branch fell, the city had a company trim the tree, but the company ended up removing the entire canopy, removing nearly all of the leaves on the tree. An arborist on location discovered a large hole that reached from the top of the tree to the trunk and believed that the tree was suffering from a fatal disease. They recommended that intense care would have to be taken to keep the tree alive.[3] In 2017, the tree stopped growing leaves, which may have been due to a lightning strike.[11]
On April 7, 2022, at approximately 9:20 p.m., the Eagle Tree's main trunk fell over and crushed a car parked behind the apartment it covered. The main tree had died, but there was healthy, young growth surrounding the trunk. A young 30 ft (9.1 m) tall clone tree was found to be growing behind the fallen trunk as well.[2][3] The 7 short tons (6,400 kg) trunk was preserved and is located in a space adjacent to the Chevron property, where, it, as of 2024, is currently in holding while plans are being made to display it as a historic resource.[11][12] Arroyo wanted to take care of the new growths, but Chevron asked him to take the fence that he made to protect the plants down within a year, as it was blocking access to their property. Chevron soon took down the fence and contstructed a higher fence topped with barbed wire and covered in tarp and topped that blocked Arroyo's ability to go on the company's property to take care of the plants.[3]
On April 7, 2023, a Chevron work crew removed the clone tree, but cuttings for possible propagation in the future were allowed to be taken before. The cuttings were distributed to multiple arborist institutions, such as Huntington Library's Botanical Garden, the Theodore Payne Foundation and the California Botanic Garden. Chevron explained that the clone tree had the fusarium dieback disease transmitted by a tea shot-hole borer and needed to be removed. Many supporters of the tree advocated for a cutting being planted at the former site of the Eagle Tree, as the plaque had been left untouched.[3] The Eagle Tree's cuttings were put in the care of North East Trees and were distributed to cities and historic sites in Southern California to keep the tree's legacy alive. The first cutting was planted at East Los Angeles College in 2024 as a part of an Earth Day celebration.[11]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Spencer, Terry (November 15, 1987). "Compton's Historic Tree Has Fallen Far From Glory Days". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Cooper, Kim (July 15, 2020). "The Eagle Tree: Dead or Alive?". Esotouric. Archived from the original on July 5, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Orona, Ajay (August 4, 2023). "A Tree Grew in Compton". Alta Journal. Archived from the original on July 5, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
- ^ a b "California Herald: Early Days of Compton". Internet Archive. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
- ^ Masters, Nathan (July 21, 2017). "These Boundary Trees Are Remnants of California's Lost Mexican-Era Ranchos". PBS SoCal. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
- ^ a b Hodel (1988), p. 56.
- ^ Native Sons of the Golden West; Native Daughters of the Golden West (1907). "Historic old eagle tree is marked by Compton parlor". Internet Archive. Los Angeles, [etc.] : Grizzly Bear Publishing Co. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
- ^ Masters, Nathan (June 20, 2013). "The Sycamores of Southern California: A Brief History". PBS SoCal. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
- ^ "Eagle Tree". City of Compton. Archived from the original on July 5, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
- ^ Baker, Craig (March 25, 2024). "Eagle Tree Historical Marker". Historical Marker Database. Archived from the original on July 5, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
- ^ a b c Cooper, Kim (January 18, 2024). "Eagle Tree Clone Distribution Project". Esotouric. Archived from the original on July 5, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
- ^ Yalkin, Devin Oktar (January 29, 2024). "The greatest trees of Los Angeles". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 6, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2024.