What happened to the tree? That’s the question visitors often ask when they stand before the Ulysses S. Grant Boulder Stone here in Chicago’s Washington Park. It’s an unassuming monument, a simple boulder with a weathered inscription: “Tree planted by Ulysses S. Grant, December 6th, 1879.” You see the inscription, but the tree is long gone. The Ulysses S. Grant Boulder Stone marks the spot where a grand American Elm once stood, planted by the hand of the former President and Civil War hero himself. In December 1879, Grant, fresh off his second term and enjoying immense popularity, visited Chicago. During this visit, he participated in a simple ceremony in what was then known as South Park, planting an oak tree as a symbol of Chicago’s growth and prosperity. The event drew a crowd of hundreds, eager to witness the celebrated general partake in such a grounded act. The tree flourished for several decades, a living testament to Grant’s hopes for the city. Unfortunately, by the 1930s, the tree had to be cut down. The exact reasons are lost to time, but its demise serves as a reminder of the ephemeral nature of even the sturdiest life forms. However, the memory of the tree and the event it commemorated live on in the Ulysses S. Grant Boulder Stone, a silent sentinel in the park, reminding us of a time when a former President planted a tree, a simple act imbued with hope for the future.
Congregation Or Torah
Rabbi Zvi Engel’s leadership guides Congregation Or Torah. This impressive Modern Orthodox Synagogue stands proudly in Skokie Illinois. It’s one