It is impossible to overstate the multigenerational prominence The Leaning Tree Lodge has in the collective memory of my extended family. Affectionately known as “The Cabin”, it sits on the Au Sable River, east of Grayling, Michigan and has been connected to our family since the 1960s.

For a wonderful history of The Cabin check out this 1998 college English paper written by my cousin, Mike Hanley.

As its names suggests, a towering dead white pine tree leaned precariously toward the front of the house. Had it fallen, serious damage would have resulted. It had to come down.

The stories about the day, in the summer of 1979, the tree was felled are legendary family lore. As many Hanley men are wont to do, a decision was made to remove the tree without professional assistance. Here are some photos documenting the occasion.

As one of the female relatives there on that day recalled:

“Oh the panic on the men’s faces as that tree started falling toward the house and then just stopped. The chainsaw they were using got pinched between the tree and the the stump and just sat there. That’s when grandpa started yelling for the women to get out of the house.”

Upon hearing this, the story goes, my great grandmother, Ida Rhoads Sears (1900-2002), actually raced IN to the house, to her upper floor “bedroom” (really just one of the eight cubical type divisions that separates sleeping areas) to fetch her coin purse. She did not want to be without it her pennies for the nightly games of Tripoley (aka, Michigan Rummy).

Panic quickly turned to common sense and the professional arborists were called. Here they are finishing what had hastily begun.

It looks like this might actually be my grandfather, Michael John Hanley Jr. (1924-2015) handing them payment.

And then cleaning up the aftermath.

Notice the looks on my grandmother and great grandmothers’ faces. That is coin purse fetching Ida with her daughter, Betty Grace Sears Hanley (1924-1981).

For decades the stump of the Leaning Tree served as a convenient workspace for all sorts of activities — scaling trout, shucking corn, holding beer, tying fly fishing flies, and much more. Over time the stump succumbed to the elements and only lives on in memories.

Note Ida holding the “help” sign for this group photo on the porch just behind the stump.

Earlier this year I hired Sarah Gardner Design to help me with some branding and logo development for The Psychogenealogist. We struggled at first with how best to convey the spirit of The Psychogenealogist with a personal touch and nod to my own family story. In a flash it hit me. What better way than to incorporate a “Leaning Tree”.

As my cousin Mike so perfectly put it:

“Everyone in my family has their own unique attachment to it which makes it special to them. Hopefully, it will continue to be an important place in my family for years to come and be shared with future generations”

The Leaning Tree Lodge

Thanks for taking a look at the Family History Artifact of the Day Challenge! Every day in May I will be posting a family artifact or heirloom. I hope you’ll join!

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