A white oak on the Fayette County Courthouse lawn in Washington Court House, Ohio, was dedicated as a Heritage Tree during a gathering on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, part of the statewide America 250-Ohio commemoration.
The planting is one piece of an effort to place a tree in each of Ohio's 88 counties for the nation's 250th anniversary. Local officials credited Fayette County Commissioner Jim Garland with planting the sapling and keeping the schedule on track.
According to the Record-Herald, those at the event included County Administrator Kate Wells, Commissioner's Office Administrative Clerk Chasity Wilson, Deputy Administrator Dana Foor and Washington Court House City Manager Joe Denen. Gail Allen photographed the gathering for the newspaper.
Wells said the downtown courthouse lawn is central and visible, making it suitable for the tree. She said the wider initiative takes its cue from the Liberty Tree associated with the Revolutionary War period, and she described Fayette County as grounded in agriculture and small-town industry.
In her words, the community is marking its place in the country's 250-year story by planting something lasting for later generations.