Many a picnicker had sat under the shade of the gingko tree in summer. Many a leaf peeper had come to see the golden leaves falling in a circle on the ground. Every year, we waited for the tiny leaves to pop out and clothe the tree in green again.

He (as he was a male ginkgo) was present for many of our human milestones - marriages, birthdays, anniversaries -and for many fun events and picnics and exploring.

Today (August 1, 2023) we all lost our good friend. He laid himself down on the ground last night to sleep, when no one was there to see. He carefully placed himself, avoiding the old Sim Cottage, rose bushes, and any park visitors. Was there a sigh and slow descent or a great crash? We don't know.

The ginkgo was planted by the Shinn family on the lawn in front of the Big House, completed in 1876.  We know it today as Gingko biloba botanically and medicinally.

In the 1878 Shinn's Nurseries catalog the gingko was listed as Salisburia Adiantum.  Did they order it from Japan or from John Rock who sold ginkgo trees as Salisburia in 1873? The Shinn ledgers might tell us someday with a little detective work. They bought many plants for their nursery from Rock's Nurseries in the Santa Clara Valley. And they ordered many plants from Japan in 1876.