What is the story behind Cadillac and its chestnut trees?
One hundred years ago a blight killed all the chestnut trees in America. Jim Comp grew up in West Virginia and witnessed this devastation of these huge, strong beautiful trees. The chestnut tree was called the life tree as it followed a person from crib to coffin. Jim moved to Cadillac and recognized that many chestnut trees had survived the devastation. He began identifying the trees in Cadillac and he and his friends began to plant the nuts and cultivate the trees. Jim Comp Cadillac’s Chestnut Man is remembered and recognized with a memorial plaque and two chestnut trees along the Keith McKellop Lakefront Walkway. The America Chestnut Council was formed to help Jim and his “chestnuts” further their efforts. Today there are many chestnut trees in Cadillac and around the area. Some of those areas include 3 trees by the Ameritech building on Shelby Street side, 2 trees in the tree zoo on Chestnut Street, Crosby Road, Locust Lane, Cass Street, East Division and a chestnut plantation acro
