Development Plans Threaten Historic Coeur D’Alene Catalpa Tree

The gnarly, old tree at the entry to Kmart in Coeur d’Alene has been a special tree for many generations. But unless somebody in corporate offices cares, the tree may soon be history.

The huge, lonesome tree is a catalpa tree, planted by farmers on a 160-acre homestead at the turn of the century. A catalpa is a deciduous tree that produces showy clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers in the spring and long beans in the fall. Young boys from the Midwest call it a “cigar tree” for its 6- to 12-inch heart-shaped leaves that can be rolled into pretend stogies.

Not many catalpa trees remain in the region. Few people who examine the tree between the Kmart driveways can name it, but a tree encyclopedia calls it “the only northern tree that can compete in beauty with the sub-tropical trees of Southern California.”

Although now in obvious need of care, the Kmart tree in decades past was the center point for family gatherings. In recent years it provided a shady retreat for Kmart employees and customers.

Several years ago Kmart neighbors and employees mounted a campaign to save the tree from becoming part of the parking lot. A woman visiting the store told an employee that several generations had weddings and family reunions at the base of the tree. For decades it was on the property of the Neider family, who lived there for three generations. In the 1930s, C.W. Neider was a state legislator. His family had come from southern Idaho to Coeur d’Alene in a buckboard wagon. The old farmhouse was moved to 15th Street many years ago as Neider Avenue was built and the property became commercial.

When the tree was saved in the early 1980s, Kmart put a picnic table under it for employees on breaks and customers to relax during a hot day of shopping. A mystical photo of the tree still hangs in the break room of the variety store.

In recent years the tree has been ignored. It suffers with dead limbs nearly camouflaged by the widely spreading outer branches. Garbage is strewn at its base.

It’s use as a respite, however, isn’t completely gone. At its base is a weathered carton that once contained an animal carrying case. A torn leash is tied to the trunk. Someone diapered a baby there in the shade but failed to properly discard the soiled diaper.

Once again the old catalpa is in jeopardy.

Boston Market restaurant has filed for a building permit with the City of Coeur d’Alene for a store on the property. The site plan includes a restaurant with seating for 72 customers, a large kitchen and take-out counter, an L-shaped drive-through along two sides of the place, four tables of outdoor seating and 30 parking spaces.

The detailed drawings don’t include a tree.

“There’s no tree on the site plan,” said Steve Johnson of the Coeur d’Alene city offices. “Typically, if they’re saving a large tree, they’ll leave it on the plan.”

Spokesmen in Boston Market’s northwest regional office near Seattle were clueless. They said the Coeur d’Alene store isn’t a definite thing, that they might not have even bought or leased the property. Johnson said at times a company may file for a building permit without obtaining the land.

However, a press information packet included a sheet outlining store locations with a post-it note attached saying, “Coeur d’Alene 9/30/96 opening.” A Boston Market public relations person corrected that the Coeur d’Alene store isn’t slated to open until December.

Unfortunately Coeur d’Alene has no “save-the-tree” policy, such as that of Lake Oswego, Ore. Lake City Mayor Al Hassell said aerial photos taken through several decades reveal that three trees are taken down for every one planted.

Possibly a public outcry could keep the Boston Market folks from remaining clueless about the historical Catalpa tree. Maybe the store’s outdoor seating area could be under the old tree.

The regional office can be reached by calling (206) 454-8665, faxing (206) 454-9198 or writing Boston Market Northwest, 1601 114th Ave. NE, Alderwood Building, Suite 130, Bellevue, WA 98004.

, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Nils Rosdahl The Spokesman-Review