Historical Name: Hope, NJ
Common Name: Sycamore
Latin Name: Platanus occidentalis
One mile south of the historic Moravian village of Hope, NJ a Sycamore tree with a connection to George Washington grows beside Route 519 in front of a beautiful stone house built by the Swayzfamily in 1759. July 26, 1782 was a sweltering day as General George Washington approached Hope while making his way from Philadelphia to Newburgh, NY. A Moravian Bishop accompanying Washington asked to go ahead and alert the town so a proper reception could be arranged. At about 11 AM Washington stopped at the then 125 year old tree, dismounted, and rested beneath its spreading limbs. The house was vacant and Washington did not meet the Swayze family. They were Loyalists and had relocated to Canada during the War. Washington eventually continued on into Hope, where he was warmly received and dined at a stone inn that still stands. The tree grew over the next two centuries and today has an enormous trunk, over 23 feet in circumference. But, it has lost a significant portion of its height due to a lightning strike several decades ago, and more recently to insect damage. The tree is well cared for and probably will live for many more years. The tree in UCNJ’s Historic Tree Grove was grown from a seed collected from the Hope, NJ Sycamore. It was planted there in 2011.