Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site’s cedar elm tree cut down following damage from Beryl

ANDERSON, Texas (KBTX) – A popular tree in front of the Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site in Grimes County was damaged by the strong winds of Tropical Storm Beryl.

The 120-year-old cedar elm tree that provided shade for stagecoach rides, field trips, and living history events has to be cut down.

Fanthorp Inn Educator, Chandler Wahrmund, discovered the damage of the tree Monday evening after Beryl hit.

Wahrmund said the tree was leaning so far that branches were touching the ground, the tree was uprooted, and there was a 3-foot split in the middle of the trunk.

Wahrmund contacted his supervisors who then decided it was best to cut the tree down.

“I came as soon as the rain had cleared so later that evening. Around 6 o’clock, I came and saw that the tree was leaning and started taking pictures and then going through the proper channels of how can we fix this and if not, what happens next. So I was doing that in the evening hours after the storm hit,” said Wahrmund.

The old cedar elm had seen better days, and the historic site’s leadership had to make a tough call.

“We experienced Hurricane Beryl and the very next day, we were notified by site staff that the tree had sustained significant damage and we had to make the difficult decision for the safety of the inn to go ahead and have it taken down,” said Jonathan Failor, Site Manager at Washington on the Brazos.

Failor said the tree was very old, and this biggest priority was to keep the inn safe.

“We didn’t want to take a risk and have the tree fall on the inn and cause significant damage. So removing it, even though that it was difficult, it was definitely the right thing to do,” said Failor.

The iconic landmark will be missed by both staff and visitors and won’t soon be forgotten.

Credit: Texas Historical Commission

“I used to tell people that the way you find the inn, you see the most beautiful courthouse you’ve ever seen and you take the main street down until you see the most beautiful tree you’ve ever seen,” said Wahrmund.

This heartwrenching change ushers in a new, bittersweet era for the Fanthorp Inn.

“In many ways, we have done so much work on the inn over this last year, on the exterior and on the interior, and in many ways, it’s like looking at a brand new 190-year-old inn,” said Wahrmund. “That tree had been there to witness so much history and it’s very sad that it won’t be there to see this next stage that we have.”

Even though the tree no longer stands in front of the inn, its legacy will continue as spoons, bowls, and furniture will be made from the wood of the cedar elm. Wooden gifts will be sold in the gift shop where people can take a piece of history with them.

The Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site will officially open back up to the public this Saturday following the completion of renovations that have been going on since September.

The public is invited to a memorial ceremony honoring Kenneth Anderson, the last vice president of the Republic of Texas after which the town Anderson is named. The memorial ceremony will take place at Fanthorp Family Cemetary at 9 a.m. and following the ceremony, people can enjoy the newly opened Fanthorp Inn.