HARROGATE, Tenn. — A row of large Ginkgo trees on Lincoln Memorial University Campus were recently placed in the Tennessee Landmark and Historic Tree Register. The trees were recognized at the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council’s annual meeting in October which was attended by the Harrogate Tree Board, who nominated them. There are only seven trees presently listed as historic in Tennessee.

According to Tennessee Forester and member of the Harrogate Tree Board Steve Roark, the trees were planted as part of the landscape for the lavish Four Seasons Hotel built in 1892. The hotel was part of a massive business venture of Alexander Arthur, who came to the Cumberland Gap area with visions of creating an industrial empire, utilizing what he thought were vast deposits of coal and iron ore in nearby Kentucky. He convinced investors from England to put vast sums of money towards the project. Middlesboro was built to support the steel industry, and Harrogate was established as the home site for the supposed wealthy businessmen to live.

The target customers for the Four Seasons Hotel were the extremely rich, so no expense was spared. 1.5 million dollars was spent in its construction, it was four stories high with 700 rooms, and included a 125 feet tall tower. Luxuries included a cigar store, hair salon, library, bar, Turkish bath, massage parlor, and a gymnasium. Only the finest linens, furniture and silverware were used. The nearby grounds were planted with a variety of shrubs and trees that, based on their location and age, included the four Ginkgos recognized as historic. One of the Ginkgos was cored by the TN Division of Forestry and determined to be 115-119 years old. The trees are located on the edge of the “College Green” of LMU campus, a flat grassy area surrounded by classrooms and the library. This was the location of the hotel, and one of the nearby buildings (Avery Hall) utilized part of the hotel’s stone foundation.

On April 12, 1892 train loads of distinguished visitors from Britain and the U.S. came for the grand opening of the hotel. They were the social elite, and included names like Vanderbilt and Roosevelt. Festivities lasted over a week. This was the absolute pinnacle of the meteoric rise of this lavish resort that fell just as quickly.

It started with the stock market crash in Britain in 1892 that spread to Wall Street, which crashed in 1893. The steel industry in Middlesboro staggered under huge investment with nothing in return. Tourists did not show up to spend lots of money. Property values hit bottom. The hotel closed within one year of its opening, but a buyer could not be found for it until 1895, when a trust company bought it for $28,000. Liquidation took place, and the furnishings were auctioned off for $20,000. The shell of the building was sold to a salvage company for $9,000, who tore it down and hauled it off for resale. The 580 acres of land was purchased around 1900 for the location of Lincoln Memorial University.

The Ginkgos are living witnesses to historic events that made the Tri-State area what it is today. An interpretive sign will eventually be erected recognizing the trees.