Holly Tree Plaque of Mary Post in 1864

Planted in 1864 by Mary Post.  Mary planted a Holly Tree about 75 feet off Forge Creek Road in a place called Laural Spings.  It was the home of Calvin Post.  They had an orchard of some type there.  Today you can find a cystern, pipes sticking out of the ground and a water pump devise of some kind at the spring.

The original tree is dead but you can see a shoot at the base of the old stump.  Here is the plaque now.  According to David Post (who died around Christmas this year - 2009) the tree fell and someone found the plaque.  It was lost for a while and then recovered.  The Park Service gave it to the Cades Cove Preservation Association and I belive it was David who had it mounted on this rock.  Neat find!