Anyone know what this is? I didn't know what it is when I first saw it. I was walking along the harbor on my usual route and I noticed next to the sidewalk hundreds of little round broken balls of soft stuff all over the grass. I did find two of these that were still hard and still together. I couldn't believe how many of these there were. I have never noticed anything like this before on my walks all the years I have lived here. And then it hit me! These beautiful trees all in a line that I have photographed before are Sycamore trees! And Sycamore trees are called "Buttonball" trees! This is a buttonball! I was stunned. I have heard this name for these trees all my life! You know why? Because of my sister's and me and our grandparents. The family farm in Guilford, Connecticut is called "Buttonball Farm." We have known of this all our lives and I bet none of us have ever seen a buttonball.
In 1939 an artist in Guilford named Charles D. Hubbard published a book called "Old Guilford" filled with stunning pen and ink drawings of important buildings and places in Guilford. Not only did he do the drawings, but he did all the hand lettering as well! Read the text above in the page I copied and learn about our family farm. Sadly it was sold years ago and is no longer ours and the surrounding lands and fields are gone as well. But in this illustration are two giant Buttonball trees for which the farm is named.
5 comments:
Love this post and old photo of the homestead. it brings so many wonderful memories. I remember one of the trees had been cut down but the enormous wide trunk base remained and we could sit around the edge of it.
There are several Sycamor trees around here and they become very messy dropping all of the button balls.
I had no clue about Button Ball Trees but can easily relate to your old family farm in CT. The last acreage of the family farm in Cismont, Virginia (on my mother's side) was sold in 2017. The farm was called Music Hall and named by one of the previous property owners, Capt. James Terrell, who had neighborhood children visit the house and play various musical instruments together. Capt. Terrell is buried in a small family plot on the property. The original wood framed house burned to the ground and was later replaced in the early 1900's by a two story Craftsman style house; sadly, after the property was sold, the house was bulldozed and the era of wonderful family get-togethers ended. Thanks for the memories of life on the farm.
As soon as I saw the photo, I knew. It’s a Buttonball. I saw some a few years ago in Wethersfield, CT at one of the original homesteads along Main Street.
So many wonderful memories from the Guilford farm my grandparents had. I retrieved the “Old Guilford” book which Aunt June and Uncle Norm gave us in 1988
So interesting. I never knew Sycamore trees were called Button ball trees but always remembered from a Botany course I took in college, that they shed their bark. I didn't know this tree dropped these button balls. How nice that your grandparents had a farm where you were able to spend time during your childhood. Farms are such beautiful places. Too bad it was sold. Trace
Thank you all for the wonderful comments and memories. Warms my heart.
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