By Kelsey Ligon
This fall, take a trip out to Turkey Foot Park for a little fresh air and a crash course in history. The park offers a few miles of trails along Eagle Creek, and one trail in particular has a new installment.
At the end of the footbridge is a tree cookie, or a cross section, taken from an old sycamore tree that fell down a few years ago. Along the rings of the cookie are brass tags that match local, state and national events to the year, or ring, in which they occurred.
The person responsible for this project is Eagle Scout Jack Horn, a graduate of Zionsville High school. Horn became interested in this project when he heard the tree had fallen down next to the path.
“I wanted to educate the people of Zionsville about their history,” Horn said. With the help of his friends and family, Horn cut the tree, built the shelter and installed the slab, placing it next to the spot where the tree had originally fallen.
Next to the tree cookie is a plaque that explains what each of the brass tags stand for. According to the plaque, the tag placed closest to the center represents the French and Indian War, making this tree more than 250 years old. Horn included other national events such as the year man walked on the moon.
Horn also wanted to include events that were personal to the residents of Zionsville. With the help of the SullivanMunce Center in Zionsville, he marked the year the first railroad came through town and the year the town was founded.
