Sebastian County Courthouse Moon Tree

Fort Smith, Arkansas

Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) planted on 15 March 1976 near the flagpole on the northwest side of the old Sebastian County Courthouse in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The "waist-high seedling" was given to the Fort Smith Bicentennial Commission and the Chamber of Commerce by the Arkansas Arbor Day Committee. The planting was done by W.R. Walker, president of the Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce, and Thomas Williams of the Arkansas Forestry Commission. The courthouse is now a county clerk office building. The tree is located between the building and S. 6th Street, across from the U.S. District Court.

The plaque reads:

Moon Tree

Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda)
This tree was grown from a seed
that journeyed to the Moon and back
aboard Apollo 14 1971
Planted here on Arbor Day March 15
Bicentennial Year 1976

Sponsored by
Arkansas Forestry Commission
Arkansas Arbor Day Committee
U.S. Forest Service, USDA, NASA

Plaques donated by Georgia Pacific Corp

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Tree is located at 35.38576 N, 94.42644 W.

Photographs courtesy of William Fischer, Jr.
Information courtesy Mark Thomson and Aaron Terry.

NASA Official: Dave Williams, david.r.williams@nasa.gov
Last Updated: 16 May 2024, DRW