WHAT:
A week-long Johnny Appleseed Birthday Celebration and Tree Planting Tour to celebrate the 235th anniversary of the birth of America’s foremost tree planter on Sept. 26th.
With help from AMERICAN FORESTS, the Johnny Appleseed Foundation and Museum at Urbana University, and cooperating land owners, the 235th birthday anniversary of America’s legendary tree planter is being celebrated with a series of five special events in Indiana and Ohio, including the planting of genetically authentic Johnny Appleseed RAMBO Trees on original Johnny Appleseed orchard sites.
The tour begins at the 35th annual Johnny Appleseed Festival in Ft. Wayne, IN on Sept. 20th, and ends with a Johnny Appleseed 235th Anniversary Birthday Party and tree planting in Urbana, OH on Sept. 26th. Additional Ohio events will be in Rockford, Sept. 24th and in Dublin and Hilliard, both near Columbus, on Friday, Sept. 25th.
WHEN & WHERE:
35th annual Sun., Sept. 20, 3:30 p.m., Ft. Wayne, IN, Festival Grounds
Thurs., Sept. 24, 10:00 a.m., Rockford, OH, Parkway Local Schools
Fri., Sept. 25, 1:00 p.m., Dublin (Columbus), OH, Fletcher-Coffman Homestead
Fri., Sept. 25, 4:00 p.m., Hilliard (Columbus), OH, Samuel Davis Historic House
Sat., Sept. 26, 11:00 a.m., Urbana, OH, Johnny Appleseed Museum
WHO:
Mark Souder, U.S. Congressman (Ft. Wayne, only)
Bridget Kelly, Johnny Appleseed Festival, Master of Ceremonies (Ft. Wayne,only
Jennifer Rankin, Director, AMERICAN FORESTS’ Historic Tree Program
Joe D. Besecker, Director, Johnny Appleseed Society
Denny Lane, Johnny Appleseed Foundation Trustee
Hank Fincken, celebrated Johnny Appleseed portrayer (all OH events)
Local speakers: Mike Schumm, owner of original Johnny Appleseed nursery (Ft. Wayne, Rockford),
and others
WHY:
September 26th marks the 235th anniversary of Johnny Appleseed’s birth. Born John Chapman, Johnny Appleseed (1774 – 1845) planted apple trees across more than one hundred thousand square miles during his lifetime. His apples were a staple for many settlers moving West after the American Revolution.
The last known living apple tree planted by Johnny still grows on a farm in Nova, Ohio that was part of a Land Grant signed by John Quincy Adams in 1837. Cuttings from that tree – a Rambo variety, Chapman’s favorite – have been grown into the trees by AMERICAN FORESTS, the nation’s oldest conservation organization founded in 1875.
These Johnny Appleseed trees will be planted on this anniversary tour and are available to the public for online purchase from www.historictrees.org. Plant a Johnny Appleseed tree and sink your teeth into a delicious piece of American history!
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