Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides) at Nature At The Confluence in South Beloit.
NLI’s Legacy Tree Program
NLI’s Legacy Tree Program announces the 2026 August Tree of the Month is an Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides) located on the grounds of Nature At The Confluence, 306 Dickop St, South Beloit. It is 77 feet tall, has an average crown spread of 87.5 feet, and a circumference of 179.4 inches (14.95 feet!).
The tree was nominated by Julie Uram, Executive Director of Nature At The Confluence. “Nature At The Confluence exists on land that was dumped on and disrespected for many years, so to have a handful of very mature native trees here is special,” said Uram. The campus is home to four large Eastern Cottonwoods located near Turtle Creek. Both the trees and creek have played a significant role in the site’s history. Before Irish immigrants created the settlement that is now South Beloit in 1853, the site was home to a Native American village. Therese Oldenburg, current board member at Nature At The Confluence wrote, “perhaps their mother tree provided shade for the Ho-Chunk who lived here along Turtle Creek at Ke-Chunk village until 1832.” For many Native Americans, Cottonwood trees are sacred, with elements of the tree utilized in glues, dyes, masks, ceremonial objects, medicines, and canoes. You can find the sculpture: “Ke-Chunk Ciporoke,” created by Ho-Chunk artist Truman Lowe, between this month’s Legacy Tree and Turtle Creek. This sculpture and the Cottonwood trees themselves serve as a symbol of the rich history of the Ho-Chunk people who lived along Turtle Creek.
Later in The Confluence’s history, the land became a dumping ground for waste and debris. After years of restoration, this Eastern Cottonwood now serves as a gathering place for the community. “The cooling shade of this tree makes it ideal for teaching outdoor lessons,” said Uram, “because countless species find habitat in this giant Cottonwood, there is always something curious to observe with kids.”
Cottonwoods are the “redwoods” of the Midwest readily growing over 100-feet tall with trunks of 9-feet in diameter. They are fast growing trees that are either male or female – the namesake female trees produce green chains of fruit capsules that pop open in late spring to the summer solstice and release the tiny seeds attached to a bit of cotton that carries them away. Many despise this aspect of the tree as it can clog screens including in heat exchange units, while others celebrate this sparkling summer snow. The seed must land on moist, exposed ground and germinates immediately. That was usually at a disturbance from a flood or animal like a buffalo wallow. “We can imagine how this tree got its start here, and we are glad the tree was protected through the land restoration,” said Alan Branhagen, Executive Director of Natural Land Institute.
Cottonwoods are not recommended as residential or urban trees because their roots seek moisture and they can get into and clog everything from sewer and water pipes to septic fields. They are right at home along swales, creeks, rivers and other wetlands where they are one of the top trees in supporting the web of life around us. This tree is in the perfect spot near Turtle Creek, away from infrastructure, and on the grounds of a nature focused center. The shiny leaves are on flat stems (petioles) that make the leaves wobble in a breeze, sounding like light applause on a breezy summer day. Their pendant branches are a favorite site for Baltimore Orioles to construct their woven, hanging nests – safely out of reach to most predators.
Nature At The Confluence is an environmental learning center with the goal of connecting people with nature. The campus offers a restored prairie, several trails, learning and pollinator gardens, and programs for all ages throughout the year. On August 13th, Nature At The Confluence will host the annual Duck Race Fundraiser. You can purchase your rubber duck at https://natureattheconfluence.com/ to support the organization and for a chance to win a prize.
Background Information:
Natural Land Institute launched the Legacy Tree Program in January 2024. Anyone may nominate a tree on private or public land from NLI’s 12 county region. To see monthly stories, for more information and a nomination form visit: https://www.naturalland.org/nlis-legacy-tree-program-january/ or call 815/964-6666. NLI, an accredited land trust, is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit land conservation organization based in Rockford, IL and has protected 19,000 acres of natural land in Illinois since 1958. NLI’s mission is to create an enduring legacy of natural land in northern Illinois for people, plants and animals. For more information and to donate visit: www.NaturalLand.org.
All photos by Christopher Reisetter unless otherwise noted.
The Legacy Tree provides shade to visitors and students, as well as habitat for wildlife.
Julie Uram, Executive Director of Nature At The Confluence, in front of the Eastern Cottonwood Legacy Tree.
The leaves of a Cottonwood shake in the breeze due to their petioles.
Signage located near the Legacy Tree depicting the history of Ke-Chunk Village.
A bench under the Legacy Tree used for children’s storytimes and games.
View of the NATC nature center from the Legacy Cottonwood tree. Photo by Howard Knodle
Full Nomination:
Nominated by Julie Uram (NATC)
Our Legacy Trees estimated age: 100-110 years old, 1 female, 3 males
About Eastern Cottonwoods: (Populus deltoides): Cottonwood trees typically live 70–100 years, but they have the potential to live 200–400 years in ideal conditions. Cottonwoods are commonly found along streams or rivers because they tolerate wet conditions. They consume large amounts of water in their growth cycle; a mature cottonwood tree uses 200 gallons of water a day. Cottonwoods can be either male or female, but only the female produce the cottony seeds in spring (which is where the tree gets its common name).
Historical significance:
The cottonwood tree is sacred to many Native American and they have many old stories they tell about this tree. They used the sticky resin from the buds as a type of glue and made a yellow dye from the buds.
Its roots were used for carving kachina dolls, masks, and other ceremonial objects by the Hopi, Pueblo, and Navajo tribes. Plains Indian tribes crafted sacred poles and sun dance artifacts from cottonwood trunks and branches.
Cottonwood bark and leaves were also used as medicinal herbs by many different tribes, particularly to treat wounds and swelling. Herbalists still use the cottonwood tree for many remedies. Balm of Gilead is one remedy made from the fragrant buds of the tree. It is believed to be anti-inflammatory with antifungal and anti-microbial properties.
In this region, the Ho-Chunk carved dugout canoes from Hoch-hoo-dah (cottonwood trees). To escape horrible conditions on the Crow Creek South Dakota reservation they had been forced onto in 1863, they felled the only trees to grow along the Missouri River to craft dugout canoes. In 1865 they paddled in their cottonwood dugouts down the Missouri River, some finding refuge in Nebraska, others continuing down to the Mississippi River and paddled it back up to their beloved homelands in Wisconsin.
On the vast treeless prairie, the sight of a row of cottonwoods in the far distance was welcomed by early pioneers and wagon train scouts, as it signified water on the parched prairie and offered shade and wood for campfires. American pioneers used the cottonwood’s leaves and bark for animal fodder and herbal teas, its canopy for shelter, and its wood for building structures.
Our Cottonwood Trees:
There are 4 cottonwood trees near Turtle Creek that are estimated to be 100-120 years old. Perhaps their mother tree provided shade for the Ho-Chunk who lived here along Turtle Creek at Ke-Chunk village until 1832. A modern sculpture by Ho-Chunk artist Truman Lowe called “Ke-Chunk Ciporoke” that depicts a Ho-Chunk dwelling is placed under the shade of one of our cottonwood trees in remembrance of the Ho-Chunk people who called this area home. In the summer of 2022 we gathered with members of the Ho-Chunk nation under that very cottonwood tree to commemorate a weeklong paddling journey Ho-Chunk adults and youth made on their ancestral waters of Yahara and Rock Rivers in a newly crafted cottonwood dugout canoe.
Irish Settlement: The first settlement in what is now South Beloit came around 1853 with 15 Irish immigrants railroad workers and their families formed a community right here, building homes overlooking Turtle Creek. Water-loving trees such as willow and cottonwood were common along the creek.
World War I Hero: A 1912 census shows a 21-year old Ray C. Dickop living at 7 Maple Avenue (now Dickop Street) and old survey maps show the location of his home to be at a pretty spot overlooking Turtle Creek.
Our legacy cottonwood trees would have been just small saplings on April 6, 1917 when America joined the war raging in Europe. Three months later, Ray Dickop left his home on Turtle Creek and along with several men from Beloit joined Company L, 127th Infantry Regiment of the National Guard’s 32nd Division. Our trees were likely witness to his departure.
On August 4 1918 Company L lead assault near Fismes, France. As the troops moved forward, enemy fire poured down on their squad and they were caught in a terrible crossfire. Dickop was in command of more than 100 Beloit men when he was shot in the head, body and legs five times. Although fatally wounded, when orders came for another assault, he gave the command “Charge!” to his company and led the assault until he fell dead. Letters from witnesses that described his death say any of his five wounds would have been severe enough to force him to retire to safety. But he ignored his wounds and led his company in the charge until he dropped from loss of blood.
Dickop was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his leadership and heroism on the battlefield. General Pershing is most famous for serving as commander of the American Forces in World War I. After the war was over, he listed the 100 greatest heroes of the war, later called “Pershing’s 100”. Lt. Ray C. Dickop’s act of heroism places him on this list.
Maple Avenue was renamed to Dickop Street after the war to commemorate this great national hero of World War I who once lived here overlooking Turtle Creek among the willows and cottonwoods.