Cape May Planting Seeds Flown on Space Shuttle

CAPE MAY — The Cape May Shade Tree Commission Cape May is receiving one of only 35 Eastern white pine grown from seeds that traveled aboard a space shuttle flight in April 1997.
The seeds flew on the 22nd flight of the space shuttle Columbia. The shuttle broke up during re-entry Feb. 1, 2003 killing all seven crewmembers.
The tree will be planted on the grounds of the Colonial House Museum, the 1730 era Museum that is the headquarters of the Greater Cape May Historical Society, 653 Washington St. The ceremony will take place on Thur., April 12 at 3:30 PM. All are invited to participate in this ceremony.
The tree was won by the Cape May Shade Tree Commission and is called a Space Shuttle Tree because in 1997, astronaut Gregory Linteris, a New Jersey native, took the seeds with him on his voyage on the Space Shuttle Columbia. NASA gave them to the New Jersey Forestry Service. The seeds germinated in only seven days, about half the normal germination time.
They grew only 35 trees, which were later dedicated to the memory of the seven crewmembers that perished in the Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003.
The tree comes with only one stipulation and that is that “Your community must agree to recognize its uniqueness and publicly display the tree within the community for all to enjoy.”
By placing the tree on the grounds of the Colonial House Museum Cape May positions the very old and the very new very closely and has selected a very visible location for the tree.
The Greater Cape May Historical is extremely honored and pleased that this rare and unique tree will be on the Colonial House Museum grounds.
For more information please contact: Harry C. Bellangy President, Greater Cape May Historical Society, (609) 884 6472 or harrycb@verizon.net