They Built A Fence Around This Tree Decades Ago, And Touching It Will Get You In A World Of Trouble

#1 A Touching Gesture

When Europeans first immigrated to the New World, they faced an uncertain future in an untamed land. To help the settlers in Massachusettes feel welcome, Puritan John Endicott set out to make the terrain as inviting as possible. He had no idea that his beautification project would continue on as a legacy for hundreds of years.

#2 A Single Pear Sapling Brought From Europe

In 1630, Endicott planted a single pear sapling imported from across the Atlantic. He was told the sapling would never grow in the new land. But he planted it anyway, and it grew. Located in Danvers, Massachusetts, the pear tree was originally on Endicott's 300-acre farm, which the settler and former governor cultivated extensively until his death in 1665.

#3 A Living Legend

With bad weather, insects, and neglect, the tree started to show signs of decay as early as 1763, but it still continued to bear fruit. By the early 1800s, the tree had become something of a legend as it continued to grow and produce delicious pears. Even President John Adams was said to be a fan of its pears.

#4 Family Tradition

Descendants of John Endicott continued to maintain the pear tree, and soon it was a popular figure in American literature. Writers who referred to the Endicott Pear Tree included Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and the poet Lucy Larcom. Before long, residents of the area began helping to maintain the tree and took pride in their well talked about pear tree.

#5 Destroyed By Vandals

Over the many years the pear tree survived numerous snowstorms and severe hurricanes, but in 1964, it was struck by a human tragedy. A group of teen vandals attacked the tree one night, leaving nothing but a jagged and dying stump that left historians speechless.

#6 They Erected A Fence

Devastated locals were so outraged that they rallied around the historic Endicott Pear Tree, erecting a strong fence to ensure its protection, not sure it would even survive. Just one year later, the stubborn tree started to show small signs of rejuvenation.

#7 American Landmark

Over the course of a few decades, the tree eventually grew back to its original glory, and in 2011, it became an official American landmark in Massachusettes. Today, the Endicott Pear Tree is the oldest surviving cultivated tree in America.

#8 Endicott's Contribution To America

The tree is not only still thriving, but it bears the biggest pears imaginable every year. When Endicott planted the tree in 1630, he said: "I hope the tree will love the soil of the old world and no doubt when we have gone the tree will still be alive."

#9 A True National Treasure

386 years later, it is safe to say that this resilient pear tree has more than exceeded Endicott's expectations for his tree on the new land known as America. If caught touching the tree or Heaven forbid, picking one of the huge and succulent pears, you could be imprisoned and fined up to $5,000.00. It is now listed in the national registry.

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