Conclusion
It seems fitting to end this with a witness to Stamford's history. A giant white oak stood on Portage Road in the Stamford Green area for between 200 to 500 years. Reverend Hugh Appel, a former minister of Stamford Presbyterian Church spoke about the tree. "Years came and went. The tree was getting older now but stood nevertheless firmly planted in the soil. The community began to change. Automobiles began to replace buggies, while gravel roads were paved. Wires appeared alongside the tree, carrying electricity into the homes surrounding it. More and more new houses were being built. Farm land changed into shopping plazas and highrise buildings."
Source: Seibel, George (1990). The Niagara Portage Road 200 Years 1790-1990. Niagara Falls, Ontario. The City of Niagara Falls Canada
Stamford Green white oak
The tree was designated as a heritage destination in 2001. The tree base was filled with concrete and reinforced with steel in the 1970s. It was dying in 1983, but was saved by the Niagara Falls Heritage Foundation and the City of Niagara Falls. Unfortunately, the tree was taken down in 2015. Niagara's historian, Sherman Zavitz pointed out that the tree would have welcomed the area's first settlers. Soldiers from the War of 1812, including Sir Isaac Brock, would have marched along the Portage. The tree would have been witness to a great deal of history and it has watched over Stamford through the village's growth and expansion.
Stamford Green white oak in winter with St. John’s Anglican Church in the background. Stamford Green Plaza can be seen further down the road.