‘Moon Tree’ At Core Creek Park Lives Up To Out-Of-This-World Name

The history of mankind changed forever on July 20, 1969.

With the world watching, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped foot on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission.

The Apollo 11 mission enabled America to send up several more manned moon landings.

In January 1971, the Apollo 14 blasted off for the moon. Next to command module pilot Stuart Rossa sat a container with 500 seeds of forest trees to mark the wood and other tree products used to support the United State’s missions into the heavens. Trees were also significant to Rossa, a former smokejumper with the U.S. Forest Service.

In April 1976, one of those seedlings was planted not far from the boathouse at Core Creek Park in Middletown.

Over the past 42 years, the seedling has matured in a full-grown American sycamore tree. The so-called “moon tree” is often passed by park-goers without being noticed and features a weathered and faded commemorative sign.