MOUNT VERNON — In a brief ceremony on Public Square on Friday, city and county officials congratulated the winners of the first ever Heritage Bicentennial Tree awards. The awards were given to the owners of the largest and oldest trees in Knox County.
County Commissioner Allen Stockberger and Mayor Richard Mavis both read Arbor Day proclamations before awarding the first-place prize to Milford Township resident John Jackson. Jackson’s Swamp White Oak tree placed first in the county with a 21-foot, 5-inch circumference, 72 feet in height and a 10-foot crown spread. Knox County Parks District staffer Doug McLarnan presented Jackson with a commemorative photo and a small tree sapling for his property.
The awards were handed out based on the circumference of the trees. Other prize winners included John and Walter Sperry of Clinton Township, Eddie and Rose Ernest of Morgan Township, and Denny Campbell from Jefferson Township.
Parks Director Kim Marshall said that photos of the prize trees and other information about Knox County’s parks and park service is online at knoxcountyparks.org.
