Hiking through Manassas National Battlefield Park, I came across a wooden sign that had "Witness Tree" carved into it. Wondering how the park service decided which trees had been there during the civil war, I googled witness tree:)
The witness tree identification at Manassas was part of a Girl Scout Gold award project.
The trees must be more than 150 years old, and according to the nps.gov website, they were located using historic maps and photos. Aerial photography and increment boring sample collections were also utilizing to help with identification.
Whenever I see one of the signs, it causes me to stop and reflect about where I am and what happened on this land so long ago. I even find myself looking high, wondering if there's might be evidence of the war visible in the bark. Then I look low, knowing the shade and protection that must have been given during those two summer battles at Manassas.