HomeMy WebLinkAboutFillmore Street 336 Copper Beach Landmark Nominationdraft language for Landmark nomination of House Copper Beech 21 June 2019 DBJ
DRAFT Landmark Nomination for Jacob House Copper Beech
The species Fagus sylvatica var. purpurea or atropurpurea is commonly known as the copper
beech, a cultivar of the European beech. The species is slow-growing and can attain a height of
100 feet. It is generally long-lived, commonly reaching 150-200 years of age, and occasionally
300 years. The leaves are a deep purple, turning to a coppery gold in autumn.
Port Townsend Municipal Code Title 12.24.050 Landmark trees – Qualification.
C. Nominations for landmark tree designation shall be reviewed by the city’s tree
committee. The Parks, Recreation and Tree Advisory Board will consider the nomination at a
meeting subsequent to Public Works Director's consideration of the nomination.
To qualify as a landmark tree, one or more of the following criteria must be met:
1. The tree has significance associated with a historical person, place or event;
The copper beech at 336 Fillmore Street is in the garden of the Dr. Jacob C. House house, a
Queen Anne built in approximately 1900 for Dr. House and his family (see photo on p.2). Dr.
House served as the City and County Health Official and was a widely known and respected
physician in Port Townsend, with his offices in the Baker Block Building. The current owners of
the property have requested that the tree be considered for Landmark status and have given
their permission to nominate the tree (see attached email page 3). They provided the photo (see
page 2) of the tree in 1915 as well as two recent photos of the trunk and canopy (page 2).
2. The tree has attained significant size in height, caliper, or canopy spread for its age and
species; As estimated from the County parcel map, the tree has a canopy spread of 45-50 ft diameter
and a canopy area of approx. 2400 sq. ft, both within the normal range for mature specimens. It is more
than a century old, middle-aged for its species. Caliper at breast height is problematic to determine as
this specimen's trunk splits into multiple leaders very close to the base (see photo of trunk page 2).
3. The tree has unique or uncommon aesthetic qualities for its species; There are very few
copper beeches in Port Townsend of this size, age and prominence.
4. The tree is prominently visible to the public, along a major road or near a public place; The
tree is adjacent to the sidewalk on the Jefferson Street side of the corner property at Jefferson and
Fillmore in the densely populated Historic Uptown District and is prominently visible from all
directions. Although neither Fillmore nor Jefferson are major roads, they are both important and well-
traveled neighborhood connectors.
5. The tree possesses rare horticultural value; The tree is a worthy specimen in its own right,
but it also serves as an example of why the Landmark Tree section of the Tree Conservation
Ordinance (Ordinance 2837) was written. The tree was well established before electrical service
was installed on the street, but little apparent consideration was made for the future growth of
the tree when electrical lines were installed. Landmark status would offer the protection of
Public Works approval for any future major pruning of this century-old tree.
Jacob C. House Copper Beech (Fagus sylvatica var. purpurea)
top left: Photo from ca. 1915 of Jacob C. House house, showing house built in 1900 and young copper beech tree planted next to it.
top right: copper beech tree from Jefferson Street in May 2019
bottom left: copper beech from Fillmore Street, showing top of Jacob C. House house behind it
bottom right: copper beech trunk in May 2019
Fw: LANDMARK TREE STATUS
From:DB Jahnke (dbjahnke@att.net)
To:dbjahnke@att.net
Date:Friday, June 21, 2019, 10:15 AM PDT
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Dave Holland <daveholland55@gmail.com>
To: "dbjahnke@att.net" <dbjahnke@att.net>
Cc: David T. Holland <daveholland55@gmail.com>; "brendainpt@gmail.com" <brendainpt@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, June 10, 2019, 9:29:47 AM PDT
Subject: LANDMARK TREE STATUS
Good morning, Debbie. I’m writing you to ask that the copper beech tree located at 336 Fillmore at the
corner of Jefferson be given Land Mark Tree status to help preserve the heritage of Port Townsend’s
uptown district.
The Dr. Jacob C. House house was built in 1900 and the copper beech was planted shortly thereafter. It
has grown to twice the height of the house and is one of the only copper beech trees in Port Townsend.
Please find attached a photo of the tree today as well as in 1915.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Dave and Liddy Holland
336 Fillmore St.
PT WA 98368
505-660-8868
daveholland55@gmail.com
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