More Shoe Trees
The roadside phenomenon of Shoe Trees appears to be on the rise.
Reports from the fringes of the National Shoe Tree Forest:
Shoe Tree - Prince Rupert, British Columbia: This sneaker/shoe/ski-laden trunk is on the outskirts of Prince Rupert, British Columbia. This photo was taken in August, 2003. [Joyce Remy, 9/21/2003]
Shoe Tree - Big Bear, California: The Shoe Tree of Big Bear is on Highway 18, near Baldwin Dry Lake, just 1 mile from Big Bear Lake. While the local seniors try to "undecorate" the tree (to prevent it from dying from all the weight, they say), shoe tossers manage to have enough on outlying branches to prevent total removal. And each spring, new shoes blossom. [dvgrooms, 9/21/2003]
Shoe Tree - Ludlow, California: About 10 miles east of Ludlow, CA is a shoe tree - the first I've ever seen. So far it's only got a couple dozen pairs of shoes, but from the appearance of some of the shoes I'd say they've been accumulating for a number of years.From Barstow, take I-40 east to Ludlow. Exit Ludlow road, turn left to Route 66, then turn left (east) on Route 66. The shoe tree is about 10 miles out of town on the right (south) side of the road. [Dan Mahoney, 3/03/2003]
  Vidal, CA Shoe Tree - Burned by vandals. |
Shoe Tree - Vidal, California: In a barren desert where there is nothing but mountains on the horizon, you will happen upon a lonely, spent tree along the side of Hwy 177/62, that has hundreds of shoes hanging from it. What a strange sight! Hwy 177/62 between Desert Center and Vidal, CA. [Danielle Sprueill, 3/19/2004]
The Vidal tree has been reported as burned down.
Shoe Tree - Kalkaska, Michigan: There is a large shoe tree right beside US 131 just north of Kalkaska, Michigan on the left side of the road as you are traveling north. It's gotten pretty popular, and I would bet that there are over two hundred pairs of shoes hanging now. [Kim Hankamp, 9/29/2003]
Shoe Fence - Northport, Nebraska: Between Northport and Ogallala on Highway 26 in Nebraska there is a fence line that runs for miles and miles -- footwear of all kinds are mounted upside down on the fenceposts on the right hand side of the road as you are traveling east/south. Cowboy boots, tennis shoes, all manner of foot gear...and it goes on for MILES. If this were done by a single individual, even at 50 cents a pair at a thrift store, this was an expensive project. Mystery? [j. alyce, 9/22/2003]
Shoe Tree - Juntura, Oregon: About sixteen miles east of Juntura, Oregon, between mile markers 206 and 207 on Highway 20, there is a small dirt turnout above Gold Creek. In this turnout is a tree festooned with shoes; as we did not stop in Juntura as we drove through the Oregon desert we do not know if this is considered a local attraction. Considering, though, that Juntura is the nearest town for a long distance with very little to do, it would be reasonable to assume that the local teenagers are responsible for the tree. [B. Durbin. 9/15/2003]
Great Britain Shoe Trees: Just to let you know - the phenomenom is over here too. I've no idea which side of the Atlantic it started, but tradition here states that one bride's shoe and one groom's shoe be tied together and thrown into a tree for fertility. There's a tree near where I live in High Wycombe (30 miles from London en route to Oxford) that's the third tree of its kind going back to the late 1960s. There's also a bra tree ... that's one tree I've gotta find ... [Steve Colgan, 4/9/2006]
