I have been looking for Jesse Owens' Gold Medal tree since I attended Ohio State. After graduation, I returned to OSU to work as a horticulturist in the Physical Facilities department. As time permitted, I continued searching for the tree and uncovered many interesting facts and met many interesting people. I felt the best way to share this file was to put it on a the internet.
Dr. Phil Kozel, Professor of Horticulture, who said the tree was planted on the south side of the library, passed away before I graduated. He was a professor of mine and I never doubted his knowledge about Owens' tree. His teaching assistant, Marti Jansen, said she took him very seriously and believed he really knew where the tree was planted.
Years ago, before I knew anything about the Gold Medal trees, I met Jesse Owens downtown and got his autograph. If I only knew then, I could have asked him personally, "where is the tree?". Years later I made sure to ask Mrs. Owens and she said "she just did not know if the tree was planted or not."
Today, the Jesse Owens tree still stands although the tree will need to survive a forth addition to the Main Library which is currently under construction.
GO BUCKS!
John Nagy, OSU Alumnus
Please contact me with comments, questions and/or information
email: nagy.2@osu.edu
The Ohio State University
