The bald cypress tree at Mentone Elementary School, Mentone.

MENTONE — On Monday, June 12, at the Mentone school board meeting, some of the discussion will be centered around the bald cypress tree located on the west side of the Mentone Elementary School. Lee Markley, president of Mentone Alumni; Tim Croy, Mentone town council member; and Linda Cochran, Mentone historian will present the history of the tree at the meeting.

The tree was brought back from Florida by Mentone School Principal Dale Kelley in the early 40’s. The tree was planted by Mentone Agricultural teacher, Pat Harrison, and his students to celebrate Arbor Day.

Bald cypress trees are rare in northern Indiana because they prefer mild winters and the wet soil of swamps in the southeastern United States.

Recently, there was talk of the school potentially planning to remove the tree due to the needles the tree sheds in the fall and the amount of work it takes for the school maintenance department to clean the needles from the gutters.

Many Mentone residents were unhappy to hear of the possibility of the tree being removed and voiced their opinion on social media, stating that the tree has been part of the Mentone heritage for approximately 75 years. Mentone High School Alumni expressed interest in placing a plaque beside the tree detailing its history.

In a May 20 post on the Facebook page of Mentone School Superintendent Brett Boggs, it was stated that the school corporation is not planning to cut down the historic bald cypress tree at Mentone Elementary School. On the post, Boggs shared, “After looking into its history and importance to the community, we intend to work with the Mentone High School Alumni to place a plaque on or near the tree that reflects the historic significance of this tree.”