This little seedling is a descendant from a tree that grew at Eisenhower's final home at Gettysburg, PA.
According to the Wikipedia entry for Dwight D. Eisenhower (which incorporates various sources) the former five-star general still ranks high in popularity among the American people. He served as president from 1953 until 1961 and is credited with many accomplishments including expanding social security and starting the inter-state highway system.
The catalpa, also known as catawba, has large heart-shaped leaves and distinctive bean-like pods that are full of small furry seeds, making seed identification and collection extremely easy.
Choosing which historical tree to grow was based simply on the availability of seeds and ease of propagation. Stan, and his partners, also grew historical catalpa trees descended from George Rogers Clark and General Douglas MacArthur.
