Up Oakdale Road from our house is small oak tree. It was planted there seven years ago as a tribute to our 100 year old neighbor and unofficial mayor of Roland Park, Emily Johns. It is a seedling of the Wye Oak which in June 2002 was blown down in a violent thunderstorm after standing for more than 450 years in the village of Wye Mills on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Identified by Maryland's first State Forester, Fred Besley, in 1909 as a very large and important tree which would eventually hold the title of the largest white oak in the United States, the Wye Oak was truly inspiring to behold at 96 feet high, with branches that spread out over 1/3 an acre.

Acquired by the State in 1939, for $6,150, in 1941 it became the honorary State Tree when Governor O'Conor signed into law a bill designating the white oak (Quercus alba) as the State Tree (Chapter 731, Acts of 1941). Over the years, as the center piece of the smallest state park the tree was well cared for by the state and widely photographed. Seedlings were not only planted as living memorials to loved ones such as Mrs. Johns, but also on the grounds of the U. S. Capitol in 1976 in recognition of the Bicentennial of the United States. 

Dr. Frank Gouin, Professor Emeritus of Horticulture at the University of Maryland also recognized that the tree, at its advanced age, demonstrated a remarkable resistance to disease and the gypsy moth. He replicated the Wye Oak's genes by grafting buds from the tree onto seedlings from its own acorns, cloning the tree and passing on those benefits to future generations. Two of those clones of the Wye Oak now grace the grounds of Mount Vernon where they were planted in April 2002, just months before the venerable tree lost its last battle against the wind. 

Today, because of the generosity of Henry A. Rosenberg, we are here to pay tribute to the grace, beauty, and symbolism of the Wye Oak in another dramatic and appropriate way. When the tree fell, the most immediate question was what to do with the wood. The Departments of Natural Resources, Agriculture, and General Services worked together to preserve as much as possible, inventorying and storing the pieces, and calling for suggestions for an appropriate use.  

Through a mutual friend, Joe Coale, I approached Mr. Rosenberg with the idea of a legacy desk for the governors of Maryland made from the wood of the Wye Oak. He graciously offered to underwrite the whole gift, including the desk, the brochure for today, and a book about the history of the tree and the desk to be published next year. On his behalf, the Archives staff sought craftsmen from the Eastern Shore with the skills and the knowledge of local woods necessary to create a desk of the highest quality and design. 

Jim McMartin and Jim Beggins of St. Michaels, Maryland, fit the bill perfectly. Between them, they have over 25 years of experience of working with local, Eastern Shore woods, milling the pieces themselves and using 18th and 19th century techniques to make beautiful, hand-crafted pieces that are now in some of the most historic homes in Maryland. I would like them to stand and be recognized.

I would also like to call your attention to the hard work of Mimi Calver, Elaine Rice Bachmann, Vicki Lee,  Sasha Lourie and Ryan Polk who have done so much to make today's unveiling a reality, as well as providing a lovely exhibit on the Freedom Wall entitled "From Champion Tree to Legacy Desk." For future reference, along with the plaque designed to recognize the occupants of the desk from this day forward, the governor will also find that we have secreted in the desk an Archives box documenting its creation from inception to completion.
 
 

In choosing the wood of the Wye Oak for a legacy desk for the governor, we are not only recognizing the rich History of Maryland, but also the national significance of the oak tree. 

Recently the National Geographic sponsored a contest among grade school students for the best essay on national symbols. Andrew, the Gold-Star winner, wrote about "The Mighty Oak:"

The new symbol I chose for the United States is a mighty oak tree. The oak tree would be big and strong and have a lot of branches.

There are many reasons why an oak tree would be a good symbol for the United States. The oak tree would show strength because oak is a very strong wood. The oak tree would also show protection because an oak tree can provide protection from the rain.

It would also show unity because on an oak tree there are many branches, but all of the branches are part of one tree, like the states in the United States. There are 50 states, but all of the states belong to the United States. Also there are many kinds of oak trees, which would represent our country as a diverse nation.

I think that the oak tree would be a good United States symbol because it would represent the United States well.

To Abraham Lincoln: "Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing".

While the oak tree is an old and respected symbol whose roots reach back to the beginning of history, it has also much more recently come to be thought of as a tree of remembrance around which we tie welcoming yellow ribbons. Indeed when the practice first begun by a Marylander in the late 1970, a yellow ribbon was tied around the Wye Oak in honor and support of the hostages in Iran. Today, as we launch a new tradition of governors of Maryland working and writing on this legacy Wye Oak desk, let this yellow ribbon with which it is tied, not only represent the gold of the Calvert Coat of Arms in the Great Seal of Maryland imprinted on this desk, but also our remembrance of those who are currently fighting for our liberties abroad.

On November 5, Jim Hefelfinger, our longtime photographer passed away suddenly. Jim's death marked the end of an era at the Archives and his presence will be deeply missed, as evidenced by the many staff members in attendance at his memorial service.

I first met Jim five years ago just after coming to the Archives as the Curator of Photographs. He impressed me as an inherently affable guy, always quick with a smile and  ready to recount some funny story. Jim began to learn the photographic arts while serving in a US Air Force aerial reconnaissance unit during the mid-1950s. Supplementing his hands-on education with coursework, he later opened a thriving professional studio in southern Pennsylvania. His clients ranged from the local police (photo-documenting a crime scene) to young Beaver College co-eds during the "hip" 1970s .

Jim fulfilled his own unique role at the Archives by making aspects of Maryland's history accessible through photographs. For eighteen years Jim commuted from his beloved Eastern Shore home to the Archives darkroom. During his tenure he created hundreds of copy negatives and, no doubt, thousands of photographs of historic views, many of which now grace the walls of private homes and public offices throughout Maryland and elsewhere. 

Since the fall of 2002, Jim had been involved in printing a series of late 19th century glass plate negatives, a  tricky, difficult enterprise best reserved to a person of his skill level. He had completed some 1100 prints at the time of his death--many rare ones of Western Maryland--scenes now available to researchers for the first time. 

Jim, a modest man, was quietly proud of his camera work. He had won numerous awards for his private photography work. He also enjoyed and excelled at the lost art of hand-coloring black and white photographs and was thrilled when one sold for an impressive price at a recent auction. Though he intended to retire in 2005, he was already making plans to open an Eastern Shore gallery. Jim simply could not put down his camera. He left behind an impressive portfolio. Jim's most lasting legacy, however, is that the Archives staff and his many friends will remember him with fondness. His cheery presence, friendly manner, and genuine thoughtfulness set him apart. In contrast to many others caught up in today's world of "24/7" busy distraction, Jim took the time to let people know that they mattered. 

He leaves behind a wife, a son, several stepchildren, and many family members.  The Archives plans to honor Jim's memory by creating The Hefelfinger Photographic Internship.