 |
Wolcott Historical Society News - November 2026
By Florence Goodman
As the winds from the nor'easter swept through our town on the weekend of September 26, 2026, most residents were worrying about power failures. Many knew that those winds might take down trees throughout the area, but no one thought it would shear off the top of our 1902 Constitutional Oak tree located on Spindle Hill Road. This was a sad day for local history lovers and the town of Wolcott.
When my family moved back to Wolcott in 1984, we purchased the old Thomas House on Peterson Lane just down the road from the Constitutional Oak Tree. I have marveled at that tree for the past 42 years as I have driven by, ran, walked or biked past it. I knew it was a pin oak tree, not usually found in our area, and I researched the tree to find out that it does produce small acorns. I had always hoped to find some acorns, thinking I might grow seedling, but I never saw a one!
The history of our Constitutional Oak tree starts over one hundred years ago. It begins in October of 1901, when a vote was taken to hold a Constitutional Convention in Hartford. The purpose of the convention was to revise the existing constitution of our state, which had not been done since 1818. In the spring of 1902, anticipating the passing of these revisions, the U.S. Department of Agriculture presented each of the 168 delegates at the convention with a pin oak tree seedling to commemorate the occasion. The delegates were asked to plant the trees in their hometowns on or near a public place or on the green. They were to be known as "Constitutional Oaks" as memorials to the expected new state Constitution. Although the electors voted to hold the convention, the revisions were never passed, but the delegates still received their souvenirs of this historic meeting, their "little pin oak trees."
Mr. Evelyn Upson, who lived in the 1774 James Alcott house on Spindle Hill Road was the Constitutional Convention delegate from Wolcott. He planted our Constitutional Oak in 1902 across the road from his home next to a large barn so that he could maintain it while it was young. It was his intent to eventually transplant the tree to the Town Green, but the transplanting never occurred. Thus after 124 years, the tree continued to grow on the side of Spindle Hill Road across from the James Alcott homestead until this fall when it fell victim to that weekend storm. The tree has held an amazing story and history that I will once again share with you.
When Mr. Upson died in 1918, the property was sold to Carl and Helma Peterson who used the land as a dairy farm until1962 when a fire destroyed the large dairy barn on the property across the road from the homestead. Amazingly the fire did not hurt the Constitutional Oak tree, which was located very close to the barn. Over the years this wonderful old tree would withstand the forces of nature and continued to grow. Although this tree was protected and maintained by the town crew, property owners and the Wolcott Historical Society, it still required some tender loving care.
In 2009 Joe Milton asked if he could clean up the area around the Constitutional Oak Tree as an Eagle Scout Project. He wanted to protect it from mistakenly being cut down during yearly pruning by the power company. He also hoped that this would help people driving by to easily identify this famous tree. Joe's project was quite an undertaking since the area around the tree was overgrown with poison ivy vines and other invasive weeds. Joe and his team were able to clean the area and put down fabric and gravel to keep out the weeds. They built a fence around the tree and used the rocks from an old foundation and stonewall to enhance the area. They added a beautiful granite bench donated by Burton's Monuments of Meriden Road and a brief history of the tree was engraved on it. Joe and his team of scouts did a wonderful job; and once more it looked beautiful and was greatly appreciated.
In October of 2014, the Wolcott Historical Society placed a hand-painted sign along the railing that surrounds the tree identifying it as, the "Constitution Oak, 1902" so when motorists, bikers, or hikers passed by this majestic tree, it would be noticed.
On June 29, 2016, the tree lost two large limbs that fell across the road and damaged part of the fencing. Once again Joe Milton came to the rescue and repaired the fencing. It was at that time that an arborist who inspected the tree stated that it was in poor condition, but we just hoped it would remain standing. In 2024 the Society placed a larger sign in front of the tree and added a brief history.
If by chance you come to the intersection of Mad River and Spindle Hill Roads, look across the street from the James Alcott homestead (a dark blue saltbox) and you will see what is left of our Constitutional Oak tree. Our intent is to leave the hollowed-out trunk alone, but hopefully we will be able to get some wood from the rest of the tree to create a memory of it. Over time the Constitutional Oak trees in our state have been slowly disappearing and today there are only 55 trees remaining.
One last note for all to remember; this tree is our Constitutional Oak not to be confused with the Charter Oak; there is no connection! The Charter Oak is a totally different tree and a different story.
(Information for this article was taken from photographs from Clarence Atwood, "History of the Town of Wolcott, Connecticut from 1731 to1874" by Samuel Orcutt; an article from the from "The Waterbury American," Tuesday, January 16, 1962; an article from the Republican-American/CT Insider.com, September 30, 2026; Wolcott Community News article by Flo Goodman, November 2014; edited by Jackie Bracco)
A 1900 photo of the James Alcott homestead and farm located on the corner of Mad River and Spindle Hill Roads. This is where Evelyn Upson lived until his death in 1918.
Evelyn Upson, delegate to the Constitutional Convention 1901-02.
Constitutional Oak tree in 2014. Still looking majestic!
Constitutional Oak October 26, 2026.
Inside the Constitutional Oak after it fell in 2026.
Another view of the tree October 2026.
To view past installments of the Historical Society News, click here.
|
