Randolph County Tourism acquires Johnny Appleseed tree

As the state gears up to celebrate its bicentennial, Randolph County Tourism has acquired a piece of history that will last long after Illinois' 200th birthday on December 3, 2018.

Randolph County Tourism made a $50 donation to the Illinois State Historical Society for a bicentennial Johnny Appleseed tree, which has been planted near the Liberty Bell of the West State Historic Site on Kaskaskia Island.

"We had to put it where somebody could take care of it and we have somebody with a horticulture degree (Denise Pingel) who can take care of it," said Randolph County historian Emily Lyons.

The man now known as Johnny Appleseed was John Chapman, an American pioneer nurseryman who planted apple nurseries in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and other eastern states in the early days of the 19th century.

Chapman used seeds from a cider mill near his home in Pennsylvania to plant his nurseries and also sold apple trees to settlers.

Fresh scionwood from the tree planted at Lincoln Memorial Garden in Springfield is being used to grow 102 Johnny Appleseed trees in the state's 102 counties next year.

"We'll get a sign to put up for it and we had to rush to get it in the ground," Lyons said. "We probably will be having some kind of ceremony in the near future, just haven't had time to figure that out."