SHELBY — A shovel hit the soil Friday morning at Seltzer Park as Shelby planted more than a tree — it planted a piece of American history.

City leaders, community groups and residents gathered to celebrate Arbor Day and mark a milestone tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Mayor Steve Schag called the heritage tree planting “a once-in-a-lifetime event” for Richland County residents while thanking numerous partners who brought the celebration together.

Schag presented an Arbor Day proclamation and pointed to Shelby’s long-standing recognition as a Tree City USA community by the National Arbor Day Foundation.

That tradition stretches back to 1872, when J. Sterling Morton urged the Nebraska Board of Agriculture to dedicate a day to planting trees, sparking a movement beginning with more than one million trees in the ground.

“I urge all citizens to plant trees to gladden the hearts and promote the well-being of our present and future generations,” Schag said.

Elected and community leaders helped plant the oak tree using a commemorative shovel. Shelby Middle School and High School choirs, along with the Shelby High School Band, performed patriotic music during the planting. 

The Marvin Memorial Library hosted story time and shared educational resources, while the Kiwanis Club of Shelby handed out free saplings supplied by the Clear Fork FFA Alumni.

“May we never forget those roots that go back 250 years.”

Shelby mayor steve schag

Shelby joins a statewide effort led by America 250-Ohio, which will plant a white oak in each of Ohio’s 88 counties to honor the state’s role in the nation’s founding.

Schag read a quote from America 250-Ohio Executive Director Todd Kleismit saying the initiative connects history to the future.

Kleismit said trees are living history and planting a heritage tree in all 88 of Ohio’s counties is one way to honor Ohio’s past, shape the present and impact the environmental future.

Roots of history and resilience

Schag said the heritage tree initiative draws inspiration from the historic liberty tree in Boston, Massachusetts, where colonists once gathered during the Revolutionary War era to plan and push for independence.

“That was no ordinary tree in Boston, and this is no ordinary tree in Seltzer Park,” he said. “There’s no other tree like this—this is the heritage tree.”

He described the oak as a living monument to the resolve and resilience of the nation’s founders. 

A plaque beside the tree underscores that message, calling it a lasting legacy of living history and featuring words from Presientt James A. Garfield stating the oak’s strength is in its roots, as is ours. 

“May we never forget those roots that go back 250 years,” Schag said. “The roots of our freedoms. Our life is truly in those roots.”

Organizers selected a swamp white oak for Shelby, a species expected to grow 40 to 45 feet tall over the coming decades.

“So hang around here for about 30 to 40 years,” Schag joked.

(Photos from the Arbor Day celebration and Heritage tree planting at Selzter Park. Credit: Hannah Martin)

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