EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — When a beloved tree in East Providence died, the city chose to preserve what remained and honor its legacy through an original work of art.
Long before the Weaver Library opened in 1938, a large Copper Beech tree stood on the grounds near East Providence City Hall. It continued to grow for more than a century and ultimately became a landmark for the city.
“This tree has been around here for generations,” East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva explained. “People all across the community who visited the library and grew up in this neighborhood have stories about how they used to come in and sit underneath the tree. People carved their names in the tree. They had a real connection to this tree.”…