The property owner of The Marlay, Chad, writes in with this great account…

The Historic Pecan Tree was given it’s proper respect yesterday when Frank the “Lumber Jock” slabbed-up the 2 largest trunk pieces. Using an “Alaska Jig”, we were able to get 9 slabs of beautiful Pecan wood – all over 10 feet long. This should yield 5 or more beautiful banquet tables. There was also enough left over to allow several Decatur wood-workers material to use for furniture projects.

We will also have some benches that we made from the outside cuts.on site just in time for the St. Patrick’s Day Festivities.

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Chadwick, The Marlay property’s owner and longtime DM reader, writes in…

It is with great sadness that I must remove the pecan tree in the grass area next to The Marlay tomorrow. I love the tree, and have rebuffed development of the grass area specifically to preserve it; in the past Bruster’s and Starbucks wanted to develop the lot among others. There is an adolescent Oak tree in it’s shadow, that we will nurture to regain the canopy that will be lost.

Why are we having to do this? … The tree was struck by lightening in 1996, leaving a large bare scar which we have been monitoring over the years. A creature has now taken up in the tree, where a large hollow has developed, and a new crack has appeared. According to the arborist who has been trimming the tree over the last couple of years, it is just a matter of time before the canopy cracks off.

Also, I would like to let the community know that I will be “Tree Cycling” the tree to give it a new life as furniture ( see below ), and will have an “Alaska Jig” on site next week to cut the trunk into 4″ slabs to be processed after drying. All the limbs will be cut up and given to a non-profit that helps out-of-work men by selling donated wood as firewood – this pecan will be sold by this organization to BBQ resturants in the area because it’s smoke it similar to Hickory – to help support their outreach programs.