Champion elm Herbie to be sold in artful pieces

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[JoeProBono]

YARMOUTH, Maine (AP) -- In life, New England's champion elm tree, nicknamed Herbie, stretched more than 100 feet skyward, towering over its neighbors and becoming a local landmark.

Nearly 10 months after being dismantled by chain saw, the majestic tree has been reincarnated by artisans into a variety of items including a stunning electric guitar. The custom guitar, along with baseball bats, upscale furniture and other keepsakes, will be auctioned off Saturday to benefit the Yarmouth tree trust.

"It's mindboggling how much has been done with it," said Jan Ames Santerre, senior planner with the Maine Forest Service, one of the sponsors in The Herbie Project.

One of the tallest American elms in the country, the 110-foot-tree survived 14 bouts of Dutch elm disease, thanks to the town's longtime tree warden, Frank Knight, who's now 102.

But Herbie had to be cut down in January after succumbing to the fungal disease.

[JoeProBono]

Amoung the notable elms "Herbie" in Yarmouth, Maine, stood by present-day East Main Street from 1793 to 2010. At 110 feet in height, it was believed to be the oldest and tallest of its kind in New England. The tree, which partially stood in the front yard of a private residence, also had a 20-foot circumference and a 93-foot crown spread. As of 2003, only twenty of Yarmouth's original 739 elms had survived Dutch elm disease. In August 2009 it was revealed that, after battling fifteen bouts of Dutch elm disease, the tree had lost, and on January 19, 2010 it was cut down.

A guitar made by Andrew Olson is displayed Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010, in Yarmouth, Maine. Nearly nine months after being cut down, artisans have transformed some of the wood from New England's 217-year-old champion elm tree into a variety of products including an electric guitar.

[sodpoodle]

Great post. And I mean that in the nicest way.

Trees are our friends.....not our children.

[grobdriver]

As I have heard many times, the most beautiful thing about a tree is what you can do with it after you cut it down.

[JoeProBono]

Lion Tree Sculpture

[JoeProBono]

[sodpoodle]

OK - so there is a family resemblance. LOL!!!

[Lauren BaRecall]

It’s sad, but the tree *had* to come down due to disease, rather than being a victim of a strip mall.

Under the circumstances, it’s good to see that this historic tree lives on through these attractive objects.