Beaded Tomato

Artist: Genevieve Waller
Title: Beaded Tomato
Medium: Insulation Foam, Glue, Toothpicks, Fabric, Dressmaker Pins, Sequin Pins, Starflake Beads, and Rondelle Beads.

Since 1982, Louisville has been recognized as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. That is not an easy feat, considering the sparseness of the native landscape. Early photos of Louisville show very few trees and dry arid plains. However, the influx of European immigrants in the early 1900s also brought a desire for more trees. Trees were necessary for shade, as building material, and also as a food supply. Many immigrants sought to plant trees with familiar fruits such as apples, plums, peaches, and cherries, and many of these trees are still around today. The Bowes family owned a large orchard of pear and apple trees where Louisville families often went to picnic and enjoy the springtime blooms. Establishing trees was hard work as the family had to haul water from Coal Creek, about a mile away, to keep the trees watered.

To qualify as a Tree City, Louisville had to establish a city tree board, develop a community tree ordinance and an active urban forestry program, and commemorate Arbor Day with a proclamation and tree planting ceremony. Today, Louisville’s forestry program takes care of over 10,000 trees throughout the city. The Louisville Historical Museum partners with City Forester, Chris Lichty to offer walking tours of Louisville’s historic trees each year.

Do you have a favorite tree in Louisville?