05 – 9th Pennsylvania Reserves Tree

How to Find Witness Tree 05

The monument to the 9th Pennsylvania Reserves stands on Warren Avenue, near the four-way intersection of Sykes, Warren, South Confederate, and Wright Avenues. 

Witness Tree 05, a white oak, grows adjacent to the stone wall here, exactly halfway between the monument and Warren Avenue itself.

What This Tree Witnessed

Numerous Union regiments occupied a line from Little Round Top, across the saddle area, and up to the crest of Big Round Top, from July 2, 1863 (at the conclusion of the battle for Little Round Top) through July 3. These troops built, overnight, a protective stone wall that stretched across the entire line. Today’s stone wall is a recreation of the original stone wall.

Witness Tree 05 Statistics

Tree Species: white oak
Circumference 2025: 88”
Diameter: 28”
Estimated age: 225+ years
Estimated diameter in 1863: 6-9”

Then-and-Now Comparisons

Witness Tree 05 has appeared in several vintage photographs. Two of them are presented here in then-and-now comparisons.

1. 1897. In this William Tipton photograph of the 9th PA Reserves monument, Witness Tree 05 can be seen to be one of three white oaks that once grew by the stone wall.

2. 1902. Another William Tipton photograph. However, he took this image from Wright Avenue, facing northwest, towards and down Warren Avenue.

The slight but distinctive bend and curve of Witness Tree 05 is a perfect match in the two photographs.

Note how nicely the rock labeled “A” matches up in the pair of pictures.

Labels “B” marks the monument to the 9th Pennsylvania monument.

Other Photos