LANESBOROUGH, Mass. – In the center of Lanesborough stands the largest American Elm tree in Massachusetts known as King Elmer. It stands tall at 107 feet, and is around 258 years old.

“Give or take, King Elmer has been standing here since the town was founded, and he’s watched the entire town grow up,” said Jim Neureuther.

King Elmer has gone through centuries surviving tropical storms and disease. Neureuther, chair for Lanesborough’s Tree and Forest Committee, said it takes a lot of special care to keep King Elmer alive and healthy. 

“To make sure that next generations, the kids up at the school, will be able to enjoy this tree, and their grandkids someday will get to enjoy this tree. So when it comes to King Elmer, we're thinking multiple generations out,” Neureuther said.

Dutch Elm Disease went through the U.S. in the 1900s, decimating the American Elm population, including in Massachusetts.

“All of Lanesborough’s Main Street, known as Route 7, was all lined with elm trees back in the 1800s and early 1900s. They all died and that’s why King Elmer being a survivor is very rare,” said Neureuther.

The tree and forest committee was formed because King Elmer was sick with Dutch elm disease in 2003. Nancy Tunnicliffe was one of the founding officers for the committee, and is happy to see how far King Elmer has come since caring for the tree, which happens to be right in her yard.

“We weren’t sure we could save the tree initially cause all of its companions up and down this area were dead, but it’s been a wonderful thing to see it worked on and fed and tenderly cared for and still going strong,” Tunnicliffe said.

King Elmer gets pruning and Dutch elm disease inoculations to keep it healthy. You can see King Elmer off Route 7 and Summer Street. You can see othe Massachusetts tree ranking on Mass DCR's list.