NorthOmahaHistory.com—People, places and events from the history of North Omaha, Nebraska by Adam Fletcher Sasse

Mormon Tree, Florence, Nebraska 1920
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A History of the Mormon Tree in Florence, Nebraska

The Mormon Tree, also called the Brigham Young Tree, has loomed over my studies of Florence history for a decade now. I’ve seen mentions of it in old newspapers and heard stories about it from older people. However, I couldn’t find anything about it all this time. Until last month. Finally, after all these years,…

Adam F.C. Fletcher
2 minutes

The Mormon Tree, also called the Brigham Young Tree, has loomed over my studies of Florence history for a decade now. I’ve seen mentions of it in old newspapers and heard stories about it from older people. However, I couldn’t find anything about it all this time.

This is a later photo of the Mormon Tree.

Until last month. Finally, after all these years, I wrote the Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters to ask about the Mormon Tree.

They wrote back to say that the Mormon Tree was a cottonwood tree in Florence Park at North 30th and State Streets. Older people in their church used to say it was planted by Brigham Young and they called it his tree, but that can’t be verified. In the 1920s, one of the last remaining Florence pioneers denied that Young was ever connected to the tree.

Mormon Tree, Florence Park, North Omaha, Nebraska
This is a 1922 clipping about the Mormon Tree. Its caption says, “This mighty cottonwood in Florence park is widely known as “Brigham Young’s Tree.” The story is that the tree was planted by the Mormon leader during his stay in Omaha preceding the further westward migration of his followers.”

What was verifiable was that the tree was located due east of the James C. Mitchell House at North 31st and State Streets.

When it was cut down, the age of the tree was confirmed to be dated back to the 1840s. Several stories sprouted about the tree which seem to be more rumor and folklore than fact, including that people were healed and cursed there.

In 1947, the tree was very large and weakened by age and insects, and was trimmed back to a height of 15 feet. In 1950, that stump was removed because people thought it would be a hazard to park patrons. Today, there are no traces of the tree left.

What are YOUR stories about the Mormon Tree in Florence?

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MY ARTICLES ABOUT THE HISTORY OF FLORENCE
Public Places: Florence Main Street | Florence Ferry | Florence High School | The Mormon Tree | Florence Water Works | Mormon Bridge | Florence Boulevard | River Drive | J.J. Pershing Drive and Monument | Potter’s Field
Businesses: Bank of Florence | Florence Mill | Zesto
Houses: Parker Mansion | Brandeis Country Home | Lantry-Thompson Mansion | Mitchell House | Hunt Mansion
Other Historic Places: Vennelyst Park | Florence Depot | Florence Home | Florence Building
People: James M. Parker | James Comey Mitchell | Florence Kilborn
Neighborhoods: Winter Quarters | Florence Field | Wyman Heights | High Point
Other: Directory of Florence Historic Places

Elsewhere Online

Special thanks to the Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters for researching and sharing this information with me! 

BONUS PICS!

An early drawing of Mormons leaving Florence, near present-day North Omaha, Nebraska.
An early drawing of Mormons leaving Florence, near present-day North Omaha, Nebraska.

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One response to “A History of the Mormon Tree in Florence, Nebraska”

  1. Franklin Relic Hall Museum Avatar
    Franklin Relic Hall Museum

    We have a piece of the tree at the Franklin Relic Hall Museum in Franklin, Idaho. It was placed in the collection by P.E. Butterworth in March 1911.

    Reply

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