{
  "id": 3305396,
  "title": "‘It’s very rare to have a witness tree’: Arborists try to save tree that dates to 50 years before Revolutionary War",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/its-very-rare-to-have-a-witness-tree-arborists-try-to-save-tree-that",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-25T15:35:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Fortune",
    "slug": "fortune",
    "url": "https://fortune.com/2026/08/25/preservationists-save-revolutionary-war-witness-tree/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a remote corner of South Carolina, a massive live oak tree stands as a living relic of the Revolutionary War. Standing at 45 feet tall with a trunk diameter of 72 inches, the tree bears the scars of its past, including a lightning strike in the 1960s that nearly split it in two. Preservationists are now working to save this \"witness tree,\" which has survived battles and development over the centuries. The tree is estimated to be around 50 years old when it witnessed the Battle of Eutaw Springs in 1781, one of the last open field engagements of the American Revolution. British and colonial forces clashed around the tree, with famous officers like Lt. Col. Henry \"Light-Horse Harry\" Lee and Brig. Gen. Francis Marion in attendance. The tree has faced its own battles, including the installation of chains and cables meant to support it, which are now choking it and preventing it from pulling nutrients from the soil. Preservationists are using advanced techniques to revive the tree, including de-compacting the soil, injecting a nutrient-rich kelp mixture, and installing new cables to stabilize it. The hope is that the tree will live another 100 years or more, inspiring future generations with its history and resilience.",
  "summary": "According to arborist Aron Landsaw, the tree “probably took a few lead balls itself,” during the Revolutionary War.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}