Riding Whip Tree
Posted on: January 30th, 2025 in Heritage Tree Details |


Populus trichocarpa – Black cottonwood
In 1854, fifteen-year-old Florinda Geer stuck her black cottonwood riding switch in the ground after returning from a horse ride. The stripling took root and grew to become this monumental tree. Florinda married Timothy Davenport and in 1868 gave birth to Homer Davenport, the nationally famous political cartoonist, who spent many of his early years at this homestead. The Daughters of the American Revolution first memorialized this tree in 1936 and in 1986 it was designated as Marion County’s first Heritage Tree.
Tree Facts
- Approx. height: 90′
- Planted in: 1854
- Circumference: 18′
- Dedicated on: July 30, 2006
- Crown: 50′
Learn More: Visit Oregon Encyclopedia
Location: Geer Crest Farm, 12390 Sunnyview Road NE, 5 miles south of Silverton