Find 'Landmark Trees' on City of Fremont Website

Information submitted by City of Fremont—

We have recently completed a major overhaul and upgrade to one of the City’s significant historical documents: The Landmark Tree List. Originally hand-typed in 1973, the list is now an easy to use photographic reference guide to the City’s Landmark Tree locations, condition, and history. The Landmark Trees can be accessed at www.Fremont.gov/LandmarkTrees.                                                       

Landmark trees support Fremont’s urbanized landscape with history and beauty. If you’ve ever visited to the Shinn Historical Park and Arboretum, you’ve seen the large buttress roots of the Moreton Bay Fig tree and the wide Boulevard past rows of towering Mexican Fan Palms. Have you taken a walk around Niles Community Park lately? If so, you’ve most likely seen a group of large Bald Cypress trees thriving in the pond’s waters. Or maybe you’ve wondered why the Mission San Jose community has so many Olive trees lining its streets.            

Fremont is home to numerous Landmark trees that decorate the city with heritage. The location of landmark trees in Fremont often coincide with historical farms, ranches, nurseries, orchards and wineries that were once owned by early pioneer families such as Shinn, Rock, Stanford, Chadbourne, Vallejo, and Patterson. Despite changing landscapes and urban development, landmark trees are easily accessible since many are located on historical parks and public areas.

The first effort to create a landmark tree list was in 1970 by the City Beautiful Committee and the City of Fremont, following the adoption of the Tree Preservation Ordinance (FMC 4-5112) in 1966 to promote and encourage the preservation of trees. In 1972, 60 trees were surveyed and preserved by City Council Resolution. Almost 40 years later, in August 2010, the City’s landmark trees were revisited, re-surveyed and its findings were published in an updated booklet made available to the public. Several of the original 60 trees did not survive the test of time, but the remaining continues to thrive and tower over Fremont’s transformed landscape. On June 19, 2012, the Fremont City Council approved 23 trees to be newly designated with landmark status.

As of today, there are 85 landmark tree specimens within the City of Fremont.  Information about the ordinance and criteria for landmark trees can be found at www.Fremont.gov/LandmarkTrees.

Trees play a major role in providing and maintaining future identity with the community. Are you curious to learn more about landmark trees or to find out if there are any in your neighborhood? Check out the Landmark Trees of the City of Fremont publication at www.Fremont.gov/LandmarkTrees.