A few years ago, a reader told me about a big Sycamore near Buckhannon, West Virginia, which he called the Pringle tree.
I spoke with him about it two weekends after visiting the Jerome Fork sycamore with the Lions Club. At first, I didn’t believe his story — he’s usually a bit ornery — and the idea of Pringles potato chips growing on a Sycamore tree sounded far-fetched.
I gave him a skeptical look, and he started to explain. It turns out the tree is named after two brothers who once lived inside it.
So, which is harder to believe: people living inside a tree, or a tree that grows Pringles? If these Pringle brothers were short maybe not so hard to believe.
Before I go on, I want to mention that the Sycamore in our neighborhood isn’t as healthy as it once was. For safety, the owners have limited access to the area.
I always thought the tree was beautiful, but now we need to respect their wishes and leave it alone. I recently drove by and saw that part of the tree is still standing, so I think it’s worth sharing its story.
The Pringle tree in West Virginia makes me think of our own Sycamore on the Jerome Fork.
About 10 years ago, our Sycamore measured over 52 feet around. The hollow inside is big enough that you could camp in it for a while, though I don’t think I’d last long if I was the camper.
The West Virginia Sycamore is also near the Buckhannon River, just like ours is close to the Jerome Fork.
About 10 years ago, my wife, sister-in-law, and I took the Cass Railroad up the mountain to photograph the trees as their leaves changed. We weren’t far from the Pringle tree then.
If I had known about it before our trip, we probably would have stopped to see it. We did see plenty of Sycamores along the beautiful Buckhannon River.
Legend has it that John and Samuel Pringle once lived along the South Branch of the Potomac River, in what is now the eastern part of West Virginia. The brothers joined the British Army and served at Fort Pitt during the French and Indian War.
Along with two friends, William Childers and Joe Linsey, they became unhappy with life at the fort and decided to desert, wandering through the wilderness near the Monongahela and Youghiogheny Rivers.
During their travels to Looney Creek, their two friends were captured. The Pringle brothers then met a trapper named John Simpson and worked for him until 1764, when they parted ways after an argument.
Simpson went to the Clarksburg area, while John and Samuel headed down the Tygart Valley to the Buckhannon River and Turkey Run.
Around this time of year, John and Samuel Pringle found a hollow in a sycamore tree on the Buckhannon River and stayed there through the winter for safety. The hollow was smaller than the one in the Jerome Fork tree, but still big enough for the brothers to live in for two years.
In the fall of 1767, John returned to the South Branch, discovered the war had ended, and brought his brother home. They learned they were no longer wanted men, as the war was now just a memory.
This story matters because the Pringle brothers helped pave the way for settlers in the Buckhannon area.
The Hacker and Sleeth brothers, the Jackson, Hughes, and Radcliff families, and John Brown listened to Sam Pringle, saw the promise of the land, and crossed the Alleghenies to settle the valley, with Sam leading the way the next year.
Trees really are amazing. Maybe the Pringles copied the Keebler Elves, or maybe it was the other way around.
Our Sycamore, also known as Platanus occidentalis, is still one of the largest trees east of the Mississippi because of its huge trunk. When I compared it to other big trees, none matched its 52-foot girth.
According to Dirr’s “Manual of Woody Plants,” it stands 129 feet tall and its canopy spreads 105 feet wide. Interestingly, this tree is actually three sycamores that grew together, and their bark fused on the outside.
Years ago, a test showed three different DNA patterns, confirming it started as three trees, but that doesn’t change its impressive size.
When we go through tough times and make it through, those challenges can lead to something wonderful. As I like to say, pretty flowers grow from compost.
I hope you enjoy a nice walk through your garden this week. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at ericlarson546@yahoo.com.