On July 14, a sugar maple estimated at over 200 years old came to its end.
The tree, next to the town pound and the Harpswell Historical Society, may have been planted at the same time the meetinghouse was built, circa 1758, according to South Harpswell arborist Ben Stuart.
Harpswell Road Commissioner Ron Ponziani had determined that the tree was dangerous after a large limb fell over a stone wall a week before. The town hired Stuart to take it down. Another limb had fallen into a neighbor’s yard last summer.
There are plans to leave the stump intact and perhaps plant a new sugar maple in its center.
