|
Historic Cottonwood Trees
Before the Corps of Discovery camped here on September 9-11, 1805, and June 30-July 3, 1806, this place they called "Travelers' Rest" had been a heavily used campsite for many centuries. It continued to be used by both Indian and Euro-American travelers for at least 60 years afterward. Travelers' Rest State Park opened in 2002. The Travelers' Rest Preserva-tion Project is directed by the nonprofit Lolo Community Development Corporation. Snow covered North Lolo Peak (elevation 9,096 feet) is faintly visible against the high, thin clouds, to the right of the somewhat snowy lower mountain in center background. The tall trees to right of center are Lombardy poplars (Populus nigra), which were cloned in northern Italy before 1750 and imported into North America later in the 18th century as ornamentals. All Lombardy poplars are males, and propagate only by root sprouts. It has been said they were planted by Mormon settlers because their distinctive shape would signal to travelers that the land was occupied by members of the Church of Latter Day Saints.
--Joseph Mussulman, 11/99; rev. 6/03
|
Home
Cottonwoods, Part Three