From Amsterdam to Aurora:
The Anne Frank Tree

By: Ruth Bradley, Cayuga County NY Historian

Cayuga County is home to a number of sites that bear witness to the courage and activism that are hallmarks of the fight for equality. You can learn much here about activists Harriet Tubman, Emily Howland, Zobedia Alleman, or Frances Seward, to name but a few.  All worked, in their own way and in their own time, for justice, freedom, and the hope for a more egalitarian society.   There’s another site in Cayuga County that also focuses on these ideals: the Southern Cayuga Anne Frank Tree Project. 

The Southern Cayuga Anne Frank Tree project came about when educators at Southern Cayuga Central School, in Poplar Ridge, submitted an essay to the United States Anne Frank Tree Project.  That organization planned to distribute twelve chestnut tree saplings across the U.S. — saplings that were propagated from the original chestnut tree standing outside of Anne’s attic window in Amsterdam.  SCCS’s successful proposal argued that one of the trees would be well positioned in southern Cayuga County – a central location in the greater region’s struggle for equal rights. It was quite an honor to be selected — other places awarded trees went to places like Boston Commons, the 9/11 Memorial in New York City, and the U.S. Capital.  Now one of these trees is thriving in its permanent home in Poplar Ridge, NY. 

It’s planted behind the Southern Cayuga Central School; its accessible by following the signs to a parking lot, from which there’s a short walk to the tree and its tastefully designed landscape.  (Use the driveway on the right side of the school; a sign for the Tree Project points the way). 

Planted in 2009, the tree is surrounded by a strong decorative fence (to protect against our region’s pesky deer population!). Around the walkway of cobblestones are kiosks providing information about the project.  And best of all, there are benches to sit a while, to rest a bit and gather one’s thoughts.  

The tree’s installation is but one aspect of the overall project — the Tree Project also sponsors student and community engagement programs, yearly awards to “Difference Makers” in the area, and guest lectures on the topics such as justice and equality.

And while the tree is located behind the school, it’s not tucked away into a quiet, secluded glen or park.  It’s very close to an active playground that is apt to be filled with cheerfully rambunctious children – young people full of hope and dreams, a reminder that Anne Frank, denied freedom and possibility, was once also full of hope.   

The Mission statement of the Southern Cayuga Anne Frank Tree Project says this best: 

“Our mission is to educate and empower children and adults so that they recognize
their abilities as individuals to use their thoughts, words, and deeds to
cultivate and promote understanding, equity, and justice within our
community and in our society as a whole. 

To this end, the Anne Frank tree will serve as a tangible symbol and
a reminder of the impact each human being can have in creating
positive change, in improving the quality of life for all members of
our community and society, and in inspiring others.” 

The Southern Cayuga Central School is located in the hamlet of Poplar Ridge, at 2384 Route 34B, Aurora, NY  13026   
For more information, visit:  www.sccsannefranktree.org