A TRADITION CONTINUED

Author's Personal Collection

This 1931 plaque was found in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. It is believed that it relates to a big tree dedication made to this group when the redwood grove was known as Santa Cruz County Big Trees Park. 

The Junior Order United American Mechanics was originally known as the Union of Workers. It was an anti-Catholic American Nativist organization founded amid the 1844-1845 anti-alien riots in Philadelphia. Members campaigned against the hiring of foreign workers and advocated patronizing only American owned businesses.

The Mechanics were one of the few Nativist organizations which survived after the Civil War. Despite its name, the Mechanics was not a trade union and did not become involved in labor relations. Eventually it evolved into an insurance benefit society for its members.

The March 13, 1931 Fresno Morning Republican contained the following notice ...

"Delegates to the state convention of the Junior Order, United American Mechanics, to be held in San Francisco will assemble at the Big Trees near Santa Cruz on March 15, where at an impressive ceremony one of the giants of the grove will be dedicated to the Junior Order."

The boys' band of San Jose played for the attendees. Unfortunately there is no further information about this tree dedication or the exact location of the tree.