Man parks tractor near 200-year-old tree in hopes of stopping state from chopping it down

BURROWS, Ind. (WLFI) - A Burrows man is determined to save a two centuries old tree from being cut down. Curt Brown parked his tractor next to the tree in an effort to keep state crews from cutting it down.

"It's something I don't want to happen. I mean, my whole family doesn't want it to happen," Brown said standing next to the tree.

The Brown farm just outside of Burrows on 900 North in Carroll County has been passed down from generation to generation since 1848. Included on the land is this tree that's more than 200 years old. So, when the Hoosier Heartland plans were drawn and the state asked to purchase some of Curt Brown's land for the new highway, it was sad.

"I stated I didn't want anything done with this tree," Brown explained.

He said he asked the state to respect his wish to keep the two centuries old tree standing. But, the Indiana Department of Transportation has ordered the tree be removed.

"I parked my tractor on my property," Brown said, pointing to his John Deere tractor a few feet away from the tree.

Brown is protecting his roots. He and the Heise family, whose own trees are being cut down across the road, are hoping the tractor keeps them from doing their job.

"It's an old tree. It's probably been here as long as this town," said Wayne Heise. "It's a landmark."

Brown said the stakes in his field near the tree mark the edge of the Hoosier Heartland Highway. The state did purchase some of the property around the area, including where the tree is standing. The tree is about 75 yards from where the road will eventually be.

"I think they haven't worked with me on what they can do to save this tree," Brown said of the state.

Indiana Department of Transportation spokesman Jim Pinkerton said in the official written agreement between Brown and the state, there was no request to keep the tree. He said it is essential for the tree to be uprooted.

"This is one of those areas where that road is going to come into a cul-de-sac," Pinkerton explained. "Part of the problem is the utilities in that area are going to need to be relocated. That tree is in the way of where the utilities need to be relocated."

For Brown and his neighbors, that's a hard fact to accept.

"We just look at it as it is part of our grandparents, my great uncle and all of my family around here that lived here, even in this house. It was there then. It meant a lot to them," said Betty Heise.

Because of this week's storms, crews aren't able to cut the tree down anytime soon. Pinkerton said they are busy in northern Indiana counties. A date has not been rescheduled to chop the tree down.

That gives Brown hope an agreement can be met.

"Some people say it is just a tree. Well, yeah. I guess it is a tree, but look at it. See how big it is. It's something I don't think they need to take," he said.

For now, the tree lives another day