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Places of Scottish Interest - US/Miscellaneous

Tombstone, Arizona

The Rose Tree Museum

The Rose Tree Museum mentioned at http://twodown.com/coasttrip/8-16/8-16.htm "houses the world's largest rose tree. The rose bush was planted in 1885 by Mrs. Henry Gee, a friend of the home's owner, Mrs. Ameilia Adamson. When the young Scottish bride, Mrs. Gee came to Tombstone, her family sent her a box of shrubs from Scotland. Several rooted shoots of the Lady Banksia Rose were in the box. It's grown to over 8,000 square feet and is supported by a pipe trellis. Every April, it develops millions of white blossoms." There is a photograph of the tree at http://twodown.com/coasttrip/8-16/rose.htm. More history may be found at http://www.goldcoastrose.org/shared/tombstone.htm.  The "Lady Banks Rose, the World's Largest Rose Tree, celebrated her 120th blooming season in April, 2004. The Rose Tree is Tombstone's most famous 'Shady Lady'. She was planted in Tombstone in 1885 and unlike the various gun-fighters who stayed a short time and went on their way, she has remained, growing more beautiful with the passing years."

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Caledonia, New York

The First Presbyterian Church in Caledonia

In 2005, the First Presbyterian Church in Caledonia kicked off a year-long bicentennial celebration with an Epiphany Twelfth Night service.  The church is the oldest existing congregation west of the Genesee River.  It may be the oldest Church formed by Scots in the original West of the United States - founded by Highland families such as Anderson, Cameron, Gillis, Denoon, Fraser, Keith, McColl, McKenzie, McIntyre, McDougall, McLaren and McDonald.  This church was founded along the Old Central Trail through New York State.  Traveling from Perth, Scotland, the early church founders arrived in the Western New York region in 1800 seeking to escape oppression by the English.  They had nothing but the clothes on their backs when they arrived in America.  A land agent for the area now known as Caledonia, York and Mumford, Col. Charles Williamson, offered the group of 35 families land here in the Cal-Mum area with the agreement that they would build a church and manse on a parcel of it.  Williamson told the settlers they could work off the cost of the land deal.  The congregation formed in March of 1805 and built the first church on a piece of land now known as the corner of Main (Route 5) and Leicester Streets (Route 36).  The congregation dwindled slightly to about 17 faithful families and in 1809 they installed the Rev. Alexander DeNoon as their first minister.

History reveals that clan jealousies developed causing a schism in the congregation and the church eventually split. Part of the congregation remained the First Presbyterian Church.  They began holding services in the front room of the Peter Campbell House on Spring Street in Caledonia.  They remained there for 23 years and then built a stone church on the present parcel of land (corner of Main and Center Streets).  In 1854 the stone structure was severely damaged by fire and the congregation rebuilt the present church in 1855.  The stately church building remains at the center of town today.  The other congregation broke away and formed the Associated Reform Church and remained meeting at the original church building.

As a tribute to the 17 founding families, a group of ladies made hand sewn banners representing each one.  They are displayed in the church sanctuary.

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