Published 6:25 pm Wednesday, July 3, 2024 By Jan Griffey The majestic 300-year-old Magnolia during better days. (Submitted) A more than 2 foot wide hollow hole was found in the tree’s core. (Submitted) The tree’s limbs were hollow, as well, the arborist said.
(Submitted) NATCHEZ — Paris Winn and Beau Bumgardner said they recently had to make a difficult and painful decision. The two own the historic home White Wings, on which a majestic 300-year-old Magnolia tree stood until Friday, May 24. White Wings is the beloved former home of the late Sallie Ballard.
Her friends said that as much as she loved her home, Ballard loved and cared meticulously for the historic Magnolia. Ballard’s contributions to the City of Natchez are too numerous to count. Born and raised in Natchez, she loved the city and gave back to it in a myriad of ways.
She is responsible for the more than 2,000 Crape Myrtle trees that adorn the city today. That fact made removing the historic tree more difficult, Winn and Baumgardner said. Winn, who has owned the home for three years, said the tree began coming down limb by limb two years ago.
“Two years ago, a huge limb came down and hit our neighbor’s house. It damaged the roof and took down the siding,” he said. He said several limbs have fallen since, including one that landed on his vehicle seven weeks ago.
Then, about three weeks ago, about a third of the tree’s top section fell onto his driveway and yard. Winn and Baumgardner had been working.
