The oldest tree in Manhattan, an ominously named English Elm (Ulmus procera), lives in the northwest corner of Washington Square Park. The tree is believed to be 330 years old, which means it was a seedling in 1679, only a few years after the British conquered “New Netherland,” renaming it “New York.” The Hangman’s Elm stands 110 ft tall and has a diameter of 56 inches.
While no public records exist recording hangings from this tree, several legends beg to differ. During the Revolutionary War, traitors were said to be hung from the tree and the Marquis de Lafayette claimed to have witnessed the hanging of 20 highwayman here in 1824. We do know that the area which now makes up Washington Square Park was once a potter’s field, used as a graveyard for slaves and victims of yellow fever. Nearby the Hangman’s Elm, a gallows was erected in 1820 to hang Rose Butler, a slave convicted of arson. So, while the tree may not have been used for hangings, the surrounding area has something of a dark past, and it’s certainly possible that some poor soul was strung up from the tree during the last 300 years. The name “Hangman’s Elm” has persisted since the late 1800s.
Today, the tree stands prominently at the edge of Washington Park, a living witness to over 300 years of New York’s history…
[...] Hare Krishna Tree is another historic elm in New York City proper (also see The Hangman’s Elm from earlier). The Hare Krishna Tree is an American Elm (Ulmus americana) of undetermined age, but [...]