Date: Fri 08-May-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Maples-Main-Street-Rogers

Full Text:

A Century Of Maples On Main Street

(with photos)

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Nearly a century ago, someone planted more than 100 maple trees up and down

Main Street. The trees added to Newtown's already stunningly beautiful main

thoroughfare.

At the turn of the century, there were once 112 maple trees stretching from

the head of Main Street at Currituck Road to the foot of the hill at Sugar

Street, evenly spread 40-feet apart. Currently, there are about 90 of those

trees still standing, according to Doug Rogers of the Newtown Forest

Association. The organization has set out to bring the maple tree population

back over 100 by the year 2000.

"We're calling it, `Newtown trees for the millennium,'" Mr Rogers said.

Last Friday, the first new maple was planted on the lawn in front of Newtown

Savings Bank. The tree was purchased with money from an anonymous benefactor

who asked that the money be used to plant trees in the center of town. The NFA

received authorization to begin the program from the Borough Board of

Burgesses last December.

Mr Rogers received assistance in planting the tree from nurseryman Larry

Whippie, digger Jonathan Bond, and students from the Newtown Middle School's

Resources Roots Club. The tree was purchased from Planter's Choice and flowers

were donated by Lexington Gardens.

"Between now and the year 2000 we'll get them all into place," Mr Rogers said.

"We think it's important to do since Newtown is the first town up from

Bridgeport with a tree-lined street."