It’s a rarity to encounter a healthy 142-year-old tree that has the distinction of being planted by an important historical figure.

Joe Johnson, a S’Klallam fisherman, bought several acres of land fronting Jamestown Beach in 1874. With his workplace now in his front yard, he and his wife Lillie immediately established a large garden. This magnificent English walnut tree (Juglans regia) was one of their first plantings.

At age 18, Joe was ceremonially recognized as the youngest S’Klallam participant in the 1868 Dungeness Massacre. The Tsimshan, an Alaskan tribe, had stolen a wife and son. Tradition was clear: retribution must follow.

When a hops gathering party of Tsimshan were discovered camping on Dungeness Spit, S’Klallam warriors attacked, killing 17. Graveyard Spit — now part of the wildlife refuge north of Dungeness — remains their final resting place. This was the last deadly tribal conflict in a region where outright wars raged for hundreds of years.

Rosie Zwanzinger is the third generation of Joe’s descendents (with three more waiting in the wings) to care for this perfectly proportioned tree that dominates her backyard. She fondly remembers childhood afternoons enjoying a swing that used to hang from its branches.

We thank Alexander the Great for spreading “the Persian nut” throughout his conquered lands. The Romans then brought the tree to England, establishing a launching point for its global admiration.

The taste of a freshly ripened walnut is surprising — somewhat juicy and leaning toward the sweet. Its texture is more like a lychee nut than the walnuts we buy commercially.

Do you know a tree with a story? An unusual tree? A very large tree? We’d like to know about it. Contact us at news@sequimgazette.com.