Roosevelt stopped in Campbell on May 11, 1903, spoke briefly to the crowd and planted a redwood on the site of the original high school; his railroad car stayed overnight on a downtown siding. The Chamber calls it one of Campbell’s most memorable events.
The tree was cut down in 1964 when Winchester Boulevard was widened. A Campbell Garden Club member rescued its stump from the dump, and the tree that grew from it stands at Vasona Lake County Park. A redwood at Campbell Avenue and Winchester Boulevard carries the story’s plaque.
Sources
- City of Campbell Plaque Locations - City of Campbell
- Campbell Historic Downtown Walking Tour - City of Campbell
- History of Campbell - Campbell Chamber of Commerce
- South Bay Woman Honored For Rescuing Historic Teddy Roosevelt Tree From Dump - CBS News Bay Area
- Remarks of President Roosevelt at Campbell, California, May 11, 1903 - Theodore Roosevelt Center