Concerns were being raised about the famous “Leaning Tree” over Nineveh Road in January 2002.
Daily Journal Archives
News from around Johnson County as reported on Jan. 11 in the pages of the Daily Journal and the Franklin Evening Star from the last 112 years.
On this day in 2002, the main story on the front page of the Daily Journal was about a historical landmark and whether it was a road hazard — the “Leaning Tree.”
Franklin resident Nancy Hunt said a giant sycamore tree growing over Nineveh Road was a part of her life. She remembered when her parents told stories of racing a horse and buggy carriage under the tree, which was still standing in the same spot decades later, learning precariously over the road.
Hunt said the tree was a landmark. Others said it was a hazard.
The concern brewed from a freak accident on New Year’s Eve, when four members of a Hancock County family were killed after a dead oak tree fell and crushed their car.
The issue for drivers in Johnson County: Could the tree dangling over Nineveh Road — and the ones growing on other county roads — cause a similar tragedy?
Hunt didn’t think so. The 69-year-old had lived near the tree her entire life.
“There’ll be do-gooders who say we need to cut the tree down, but that’s nonsense,” she said.
The tree wasn’t new to controversy.
John Price, the county highway superintendent, said the department had plans to ax the tree years earlier, but the owner of the property was against the action. The tree was on private property, so the county had no legal right to cut the tree down or even scale it back.
The tree was ultimately cut down in September 2020, after two master arborists determined the tree was at extreme risk for falling.
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Other memorable Johnson County stories from this day
2014
The cities of Franklin and Greenwood were expected to pay anywhere from $21,000 to $70,838 to cover costs after a major winter storm dropped snow and temperatures below freezing.
2003
MCL Cafeteria was forced to leave the Greenwood Park Mall as Dick’s Sporting Goods planned to tear down their building, along with the former Service Merchandise building, to build a new store.
1994
“Mrs. Greenwood,” a.k.a. Ginger Van Valer, was stepping down as the executive director of the Greater Greenwood Chamber of Commerce.
