Renaissance: Wood from 300-Year-Old Dodona Oak Tree Finds New Life
Joe May, Dan Beckett & Doug MacLean
In 2016, when a mammoth white oak anchoring the front lawn at Dodona Manor had to be taken down due to disease, then-board member Joe May vowed to save the resulting wood.
After carefully measuring the radius of the trunk and counting the rings in a 12” section, he deduced the tree was more than 300 years old. The tree had stood so long, a revolutionary war era bullet was found nested deep inside.
Mr. May arranged for the timber to be milled into planks, which later were crafted into handmade pens for Marshall Center donors by John Hare. In the years since, Mr. May has been the caretaker of this historically significant wood, keeping it safe and dry until a new project could be found worthy of it.
On Aug 30, some of the wood made its way back to safe storage at Dodona Manor, where it can be used in the right project when it presents itself.
The Marshall Center extends heartfelt thanks to Mr. May for being the preserver of this important piece of Dodona Manor history. Thanks also to Dan Beckett and Doug MacLean for donating an afternoon to this effort!
