The mighty Bedford Oak
About two miles from my home in Bedford, at the corner of The Hook Road and Cantitoe Street stands the majestic and venerable Bedford Oak. It is estimated that this incredible white oak tree, is more than 500 years old. Its girth measures more than 23 feet and the spread of its branches is approximately 130 feet. It may not surprise you that the Bedford Oak has long been a living monument of the community. It was growing when the Native Americans populated this area. It stood strong through the Revolutionary War. Its acorns provided nourishment to countless generations of wildlife, and who knows how many bird nests were built in its branches.
Interestingly, Mrs. Sharp, whose home was once my farm, began a grass roots effort to save the tree back in 1977. While passing by, Mrs. Sharp noticed a bulldozer parked near the tree getting ready to excavate for a house. She pleaded with the developer and managed to raise several thousand dollars from the community to acquire two acres of land, keeping the revered Bedford Oak safe from harm. That land is now part of the Bedford Historical Society and the magnificent oak continues to thrive.
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