October 25

In the mid-1600s, Dutch governor of New Amsterdam, Peter Stuyvesant, had planted a pear tree on the Bowery (Dutch for ‘farm’).  Unfortunately, the tree met an untimely end when a collision of two wagons on the corner resulted in one wagon fatally striking the pear tree on February 27, 1867.

In September 1890, the Holland Society placed a tablet marking the location Peter Stuyvesant’s pear tree reading: “On this corner grew Petrus Stuyvesant’s pear tree. Recalled to Holland in 1664 on his return he brought the pear tree and planted it as his memorial by which said he “my name may be remembered.” The pear tree flourished and bore fruit for over two hundred years.”

The plaque remains there on the side of Kiehl’s at 109 Third Avenue, which is also called ‘Pear Tree Place’.

In November 2003, the city planted a new tree to commemorate the Stuyvesant pear tree that had graced the corner for nearly 200 years.  Bill Van Winkle, President of the Holland Society of New York at that time, assisted with the planting and was quoted in the New York Times saying, “This pear tree is perhaps the most important symbol in the city of New York of the Dutch colonial heritage. We’re very excited about getting it back.”

After hearing this 2003 sapling is no longer there, the Holland Society investigated to give the East Village a new pear tree.  We reached out to the NYC Parks Tree Time program and donated for a new pear tree to be planted and a tree guard installed.

Join us on Friday October 25th at 1:30pm for the tree planting ceremony.