About

History

Resident Dr. W.H.H. Barker was a lover of nature and was known to have a tree or shrub of practically every species planted in his arboretum in East Harvey. The idea of a National Peace Tree originated in Harvey. It was at once adopted by the National Association of the Survivors of the Battle of Shiloh and was recommended to be adopted as the Peace Tree of the American Nation. It was through Dr. Barker’s efforts that Hanford Mac Nider of Iowa, assistant secretary of war, designated the Sycamore Tree as the official peace tree and ordered a Sycamore Tree planted at the entrance of the eighty-four National Cemeteries where lie the thousands of heroes who fell in the Civil War.

Harvey had the original Peace Tree, the first one in the entire world designated as such. It was planted at the entrance of the Harvey Arboretum at the time of the commencement of World War I. Dr. Barker said the Sycamore tree was chosen because of its white trunk and limbs, typical of the purity of peace. Harvey honored the memory of this beloved man by using the Peace Tree as their Emblem.