Project #1 - Dreams of a Tree

Around the summer of 2006, the developer of the property at Ninth and Neches Streets in downtown Austin approached the First Baptist Church about donating a tree for a large, open grassy area, the church's backyard. The tree was a large live oak, estimated by some to be 200 years old and by others to possibly be 400 years old. The developer offered to pay all of the expenses, including care for the tree for the first year. "Of course," said the various church committees in true Baptist fashion.

And the dreams began; the developer had saved the tree (and only had to move it a couple of hundred yards) and could proceed to begin work on a new high-rise condo. The church members dreamed about children on rope swings and weddings under the tree in the relatively unused backyard.

In early January, 2007, workers began to dig out the rootball of the tree and prepared it for moving. Six-inch steel pipes were driven under the root ball for support. Four huge hydraulic jacks were set to lift the tree. On Friday, February 9th, the actual moving process began. The 96-tire flatbed trailer was moved into place, the tree lifted, and the trailer positioned under the tree's root ball.

There were problems, near delirium perhaps, trying to get the trailer to move. Dirt flew from the tires of the tractor; horsepower and traction was added like adding another engine to a freight train. Finally it moved.

Late Sunday afternoon the tree was in place in the church backyard. It was an awesome sight. After more work on Monday to remove the jacks and beams, the tree was in its new home. Let the new dreams begin.