The owner of the family-run motel told us a fascinating story over morning coffee. We found it so interesting we went and investigated and photographed our experience. The Boulevard motel is just off the Garden State Parkway. The owner’s mom told him a story many years ago. She said when the parkway was being built, there was a holly tree that many wanted to be preserved, so they built the parkway around it. He told us supposedly; they veered the parkway many yards around the tree to save the oldest holly tree in the country.

We love stories that get passed down from generations telling the natural history of our land, so off we went to investigate. We traveled a short distance to the rest stop just past the Boulevard Motel, and to our delight, we found the holly tree. Being big advocates of saving trees, we were glad to see the efforts made to preserve the tree many years ago.

The plaque tells the story of how in 1959, they moved the parkway 120 yards around the centuries-old tree. The Shoemaker Holly is the oldest tree of its kind in New Jersey and maybe in America. The Shoemaker family may have been aware of its existence before they sold their property to the Highway Authority to construct the Parkway. Still, it only became known to the public in 1951, when the final stretch of the highway needed to be constructed.

The Shoemaker Holly is located at the Garden State Parkway near mile marker 23.  The Shoemaker Holly Tree is over 325 years old and is part of Upper Township’s rich heritage. It is said to be the oldest tree of its kind in New Jersey and perhaps the nation. The name comes from the Shoemaker family as the last owners of the property before selling to the Highway Authority to build the final stretch of the Garden State Parkway in 1953. Everyone assumed the tree would come down.

According to the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry, Millville resident and Holly Society of America founder Daniel G. Fenton led the charge to save the tree. He worked with Gilmore Clarke, the Highway Authority’s chief architect, to incorporate the holly tree into the overall design of the highway. They created a beautiful 120-yard wide separation between the north and south lanes which we enjoy today.

Stop by the rest stop to see the tree, and while you are there, if it is the right time of year, you can also photograph this lovely patch of flowers growing in the field at the rest stop.  Pay some honor to those who put effort into saving this planet’s beautiful nature so we can photograph it or just experience it. While we were there, acknowledge the efforts of those Americans who value the beauty of our country and put energy into manifesting more of the same for our future.