Site logo

Welcome to wandering roots

Shop small, shop local, shop wandering roots markets.

We support small and local businesses by curating vendor markets at venues all over Fort Worth, TX.

At Wandering Roots Markets, you will find a variety of handmade goods, vintage, local art, fresh fashion, foods and desserts. Enjoy live music, various performances and entertainment and activities for the whole family. Most of our events are family & pet-friendly, but please see event specifics for details as they vary from venue to venue.

Follow Us On Instagram

wandering roots

Wander Roots Markets llc

Suite 200, 3007 Race Street, Fort Worth 76111

Vendor Payment Portal

Terms and conditions, refund policy.

Your cart is empty

Estimated total.

FIND HAPPINESS HERE

wandering roots

Life is short, buy all the plants!

Upcoming workshops and events, mini valentine wreath 1/27/24 2:30pm, make your own macrame plant hanger 1/31/24, hancock, md 6pm, hanging basket arrangement workshop 1/18/24 6pm, mini valentine wreath workshop 2/2/24 at 6pm, galentine’s ivy heart topiary workshop 2/3/24, martinsburg, wv, monogram succulent planter 1/20/24 at 2:30pm, subscribe to our emails.

Be the first to know about new collections and exclusive offers.

  • Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
  • Opens in a new window.

That's Viral Now

That's Viral Now

A Walk on the Wild Side: “Walking Palm Trees” Really Stride Through The Rainforests

Posted: December 17, 2023 | Last updated: December 17, 2023

From John Wyndham's terrifying Triffids and the bloodthirsty Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors, to the wise and ancient Ents of J. R. R. Tolkein's Lord of the Rings, speculative fiction is full of wandering vegetation. But could a tree actually pick up its roots and take a walk? That's the lore surrounding the Walking Palm of Latin America.

The Local Tree

Socratea exorrhiza, or cashapona, to give it its local name, is a species of palm tree. It's found in the rainforests of Central and South America. Each palm has a remarkable bundle of stilt-like roots at its base, sometimes extending a long way from the tree itself. It really looks as if the palm could scuttle away at any moment.

<p>A few feet from the ground, the trunk of the cashapona palm divides into a spreading mass of stilt-like roots that radiate out from the base of the palm. Part of their Latin name, "exorrhiza", comes from this unusual growth pattern. It means "outside roots." They look a lot like an old-fashioned broomstick - or a collection of woody legs.</p><p>These eye-catching roots make the cashapona a star attraction for anyone touring the rainforests. They're both beautiful and baffling. Why do the palm's roots extend so far above the ground? How come they're not buried in the soil, like other trees? How does this benefit the plant? It's no wonder that so many legends have sprung up around the palm.</p>

The Cashapona: A Legend With Legs?

A few feet from the ground, the trunk of the cashapona palm divides into a spreading mass of stilt-like roots that radiate out from the base of the palm. Part of their Latin name, "exorrhiza", comes from this unusual growth pattern. It means "outside roots." They look a lot like an old-fashioned broomstick - or a collection of woody legs.

These eye-catching roots make the cashapona a star attraction for anyone touring the rainforests. They're both beautiful and baffling. Why do the palm's roots extend so far above the ground? How come they're not buried in the soil, like other trees? How does this benefit the plant? It's no wonder that so many legends have sprung up around the palm.

<p>The function of the exposed roots of the cashapona have been debated, not just because of the legends that have sprung up around their potential "abilities." The unusual structure of the roots has led scientists to wonder if they were initially a development in order to allow the tree to grow in swampy areas, where there might be less stability in the ground.</p><p>This is an interesting thought, given that the cashapona is native to rainforests in central and South America. However, there is no evidence to suggest that the root system was adaptive to flooding, leading scientists to theorize on other root causes.</p>

Fascinating Ideas on Function

The function of the exposed roots of the cashapona have been debated, not just because of the legends that have sprung up around their potential "abilities." The unusual structure of the roots has led scientists to wonder if they were initially a development in order to allow the tree to grow in swampy areas, where there might be less stability in the ground.

This is an interesting thought, given that the cashapona is native to rainforests in central and South America. However, there is no evidence to suggest that the root system was adaptive to flooding, leading scientists to theorize on other root causes.

<p>Other theories regarding the function of the stilt roots were a potential of avoiding debris on the ground such as fallen trees. The taller roots would allow the trees to still connect to the ground and soak up nutrients, while avoiding some of the obstructions on the ground.</p><p>Another theory is that the taller roots allow the tree trunk itself to grow taller, and more stable towards the sky. Trees that are taller typically have a larger trunk for stability, and the unique root system of the cashapona might mitigate that particular evolutionary necessity. More than anything, though, people like to theorize about the roots allowing the trees to "walk" around, moving from place to place.</p>

More Thoughts on Evolutionary Function

Other theories regarding the function of the stilt roots were a potential of avoiding debris on the ground such as fallen trees. The taller roots would allow the trees to still connect to the ground and soak up nutrients, while avoiding some of the obstructions on the ground.

Another theory is that the taller roots allow the tree trunk itself to grow taller, and more stable towards the sky. Trees that are taller typically have a larger trunk for stability, and the unique root system of the cashapona might mitigate that particular evolutionary necessity. More than anything, though, people like to theorize about the roots allowing the trees to "walk" around, moving from place to place.

<p>Rainforest guides love to regale tourists with stories about the walking palm. The cashapona is said to wander about the forest (always when nobody is watching, of course). The idea of a palm tree walking through the forest might seem like the stuff of fiction. Tales of stealthily stalking palm trees are certainly entertaining but they're just stories... aren't they?</p><p>Some scientists did put forward hypotheses that are not too dissimilar to the legends about walking palm trees that hike through the forest unseen. In an attempt to explain why the walking palm's long roots grow the way they do, scientists have come up with some ideas. Maybe the palms were "walking" after all - just very, very slowly.</p>

A Palm Tree On The Run

Rainforest guides love to regale tourists with stories about the walking palm. The cashapona is said to wander about the forest (always when nobody is watching, of course). The idea of a palm tree walking through the forest might seem like the stuff of fiction. Tales of stealthily stalking palm trees are certainly entertaining but they're just stories... aren't they?

Some scientists did put forward hypotheses that are not too dissimilar to the legends about walking palm trees that hike through the forest unseen. In an attempt to explain why the walking palm's long roots grow the way they do, scientists have come up with some ideas. Maybe the palms were "walking" after all - just very, very slowly.

<p>The explanation went like this: palm trees need sun and don't thrive as well if there's too much shade. In order to get to a sunnier spot, it might be possible for the chashapona to grow more roots on the sunny side and allow roots in the shade to shrivel up and detach from the ground.</p><p>The tree's trunk would gradually align with the new root pattern. In this way, the cashapona could theoretically 'walk" from one place to another. They wouldn't be striding across the landscape like an army of Ents on the march, but they would be moving little by little. It's a reasonable hypothesis which could explain many of the walking palm's oddities.</p>

Is This Palm Walking On Sunshine?

The explanation went like this: palm trees need sun and don't thrive as well if there's too much shade. In order to get to a sunnier spot, it might be possible for the chashapona to grow more roots on the sunny side and allow roots in the shade to shrivel up and detach from the ground.

The tree's trunk would gradually align with the new root pattern. In this way, the cashapona could theoretically 'walk" from one place to another. They wouldn't be striding across the landscape like an army of Ents on the march, but they would be moving little by little. It's a reasonable hypothesis which could explain many of the walking palm's oddities.

<p>This wasn't the only hypothesis put forward to explain the walking palm's stilt-like roots and reputation for wandering. In 1980, anthropologist John H. Bodley came up with another possible answer. He suggested that the long and exposed root system might be an adaptation that let the palm survive being knocked down by falling trees or branches from above.</p><p>In Bodley's model, a cashapona sapling that got knocked flat by falling vegetation could grow a new trunk from its surviving roots. This brand new tree would be some distance away from the original sport where it germinated but would use the same root system, effectively walking away from trouble. It's a convincing idea - but is it true?</p>

Walking Away From Disaster: A Rival Theory

This wasn't the only hypothesis put forward to explain the walking palm's stilt-like roots and reputation for wandering. In 1980, anthropologist John H. Bodley came up with another possible answer. He suggested that the long and exposed root system might be an adaptation that let the palm survive being knocked down by falling trees or branches from above.

In Bodley's model, a cashapona sapling that got knocked flat by falling vegetation could grow a new trunk from its surviving roots. This brand new tree would be some distance away from the original sport where it germinated but would use the same root system, effectively walking away from trouble. It's a convincing idea - but is it true?

<p>If S. exorrhiza can really walk, you might be asking yourself, how come nobody has ever seen it happen? Well, at least one person claims to have witnessed the process. Bratislavan paleobiologist Peter Vršanský recounted seeing the palms "walk" in his writings, stating that he'd seen this happen when the soil around the plant erodes.</p><p>In Vrsansky's account, eroding soil triggers the cashapona to grow new roots that seek out a more stable footing for the palm. Once these roots hit solid ground, they dig in and slowly anchor the tree to the new spot. The exposed roots on the other side wither away, meaning that the tree has shifted its position over time.</p>

Quick, Follow That Tree!

If S. exorrhiza can really walk, you might be asking yourself, how come nobody has ever seen it happen? Well, at least one person claims to have witnessed the process. Bratislavan paleobiologist Peter Vrsansky recounted seeing the palms "walk" in his writings, stating that he'd seen this happen when the soil around the plant erodes.

In Vrsansky's account, eroding soil triggers the cashapona to grow new roots that seek out a more stable footing for the palm. Once these roots hit solid ground, they dig in and slowly anchor the tree to the new spot. The exposed roots on the other side wither away, meaning that the tree has shifted its position over time.

<p>Someone who disputes these hypotheses is biologist Gerardo Avalos. Dr. Avalos is a professor of tropical ecology at the University of Costa Rica and is a world-class expert on the cashapona palm. In his 2005 analysis of S. exorrhizoma and its remarkable structure, he attempted to root out the legend of the walking palm once and for all.</p><p>Published in Biotropica: The Journal of Biology and Conservation, this analysis stated categorically that the walking palm doesn't really walk. Some of the roots will naturally die off over time and there might be more dead roots on one side than another. The palm as a whole, however, stays put and doesn't travel.</p>

Pinning Down the Walking Palm

Someone who disputes these hypotheses is biologist Gerardo Avalos. Dr. Avalos is a professor of tropical ecology at the University of Costa Rica and is a world-class expert on the cashapona palm. In his 2005 analysis of S. exorrhizoma and its remarkable structure, he attempted to root out the legend of the walking palm once and for all.

Published in Biotropica: The Journal of Biology and Conservation, this analysis stated categorically that the walking palm doesn't really walk. Some of the roots will naturally die off over time and there might be more dead roots on one side than another. The palm as a whole, however, stays put and doesn't travel.

<p>In their article "Stilt Root Structure in the Neotropical Palms Iriartea deltoidea and Socratea exorrhiza", Avalos and his co-authors sought to debunk the walking palm legends by researching the palms themselves and taking a look at the details of the stories. Their conclusions might be disappointing initially but are still very interesting if you're curious about these highly unusual plants.</p><p>Some accounts have claimed that the walking palm can travel 66 feet (20 meters) in a single year. If that was true, Avalos points out, someone would definitely have noticed the migrating trees. So you won't find Treebeard wandering the rainforest - but you will find the cashapona. That's pretty cool too.</p>

A Step Too Far

In their article "Stilt Root Structure in the Neotropical Palms Iriartea deltoidea and Socratea exorrhiza", Avalos and his co-authors sought to debunk the walking palm legends by researching the palms themselves and taking a look at the details of the stories. Their conclusions might be disappointing initially but are still very interesting if you're curious about these highly unusual plants.

Some accounts have claimed that the walking palm can travel 66 feet (20 meters) in a single year. If that was true, Avalos points out, someone would definitely have noticed the migrating trees. So you won't find Treebeard wandering the rainforest - but you will find the cashapona. That's pretty cool too.

<p>The roots of the cashapona aren't the only thing that make the tree unique, either. Cashapona leaves have been found to be thicker when they spend the majority of the time in the sun versus the majority of the time in the shade, allowing them to have more trichomes and stomata than their shaded counterparts.</p><p>The cashapona is also the host plant for many different species of epyphite. Epyphites are plant or plant-like organisms that live on other organisms, often host plants, and take advantage of the moisture, air, and nutrients that surround the host plant to grow.</p>

"Walking" Isn't the Only Thing These Plants Do

The roots of the cashapona aren't the only thing that make the tree unique, either. Cashapona leaves have been found to be thicker when they spend the majority of the time in the sun versus the majority of the time in the shade, allowing them to have more trichomes and stomata than their shaded counterparts.

The cashapona is also the host plant for many different species of epyphite. Epyphites are plant or plant-like organisms that live on other organisms, often host plants, and take advantage of the moisture, air, and nutrients that surround the host plant to grow.

<p>Symbiotic relationships such as those between epyphites and their host plants are common in the plant and animal kingdoms. Whales have whale barnacles, clownfish have the anemone that they live in. Animals and plants have adapted to other organisms in myriad mutually beneficial ways, and the cashapona is no different.</p><p>The cashapona is host to dozens of different species of epyphites. One study of 118 different trees found 66 species of plant living off the trees, from fifteen different plant families. Many of these were mosses, but there were species of vascular plants found on them as well. It's one example of nature finding a way in the vast experience of the natural world.</p>

Symbiotic Relationships are Very Important

Symbiotic relationships such as those between epyphites and their host plants are common in the plant and animal kingdoms. Whales have whale barnacles, clownfish have the anemone that they live in. Animals and plants have adapted to other organisms in myriad mutually beneficial ways, and the cashapona is no different.

The cashapona is host to dozens of different species of epyphites. One study of 118 different trees found 66 species of plant living off the trees, from fifteen different plant families. Many of these were mosses, but there were species of vascular plants found on them as well. It's one example of nature finding a way in the vast experience of the natural world.

<p>The cashapona is an unusual plant, and the ongoing curiosity regarding its unusual roots and their purpose is only one example of the ways that nature continues to stump and amaze scientists. While the story of the plants walking is merely entertainment value for tourists, it does point to a greater curiosity from humans about the unknowable nature of the universe.</p><p>We may never know definitively the purpose of the cashapona's roots, but that's okay. The fact that they exist at all can be a mere wonder, a curiosity. As long as we continue to dream and question and pursue knowledge in the face of the unfathomable, though, then mysteries like the cashapona's roots can continue to serve a greater purpose.</p>

A Greater Purpose Beyond Sustaining the Plant

The cashapona is an unusual plant, and the ongoing curiosity regarding its unusual roots and their purpose is only one example of the ways that nature continues to stump and amaze scientists. While the story of the plants walking is merely entertainment value for tourists, it does point to a greater curiosity from humans about the unknowable nature of the universe.

We may never know definitively the purpose of the cashapona's roots, but that's okay. The fact that they exist at all can be a mere wonder, a curiosity. As long as we continue to dream and question and pursue knowledge in the face of the unfathomable, though, then mysteries like the cashapona's roots can continue to serve a greater purpose.

More for You

Colorado Official Targets Clarence Thomas After Supreme

Colorado Official Targets Clarence Thomas After Supreme Court Loss

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Trump keeps making incendiary statements. His campaign says that won't change.

undefined

Vladimir Putin and China's President Xi Jinping 'on brink of war' as tensions boil

Scott Pelley, Tiffany Justice and Tina Descovich split image

'60 Minutes' host presses Moms for Liberty co-founders in heated interview: 'You're being evasive'

Nebraska’s New Racist “Stand Your Ground” Law Puts Us All in Danger

Nebraska’s New Racist “Stand Your Ground” Law Puts Us All in Danger

Revamped Trump-era bill could help on tax refunds

‘This ultimately is about fairness’: Revamped Trump-era tax bill could usher in a $10K boost for many married couples on their tax refunds this year

Volunteers setup provisions for distribution to migrants

Mass Casualty Incident at US-Mexico Border

Trump knocks Bill Maher after jokes about border visit

Trump knocks Bill Maher after jokes about border visit

Top Putin Aide Unveils Fantasy Map of New Russian Borders

Top Putin Aide Unveils Fantasy Map of New Russian Borders

Court tosses part of Jan. 6 sentence, could impact 100 defendants' prison time

Court tosses part of Jan. 6 sentence, could impact 100 defendants' prison time

Hamas terrorists Gaza

Moore says White Christians are Jewish people's true enemy: 'No Palestinian ran the Spanish inquisition'

‘A National Security Disaster’: Intel officials sound the alarm of the danger of a second Trump term

‘A National Security Disaster’: Intel officials sound the alarm of the danger of a second Trump term

Lake Shasta Lost 265 Billion Gallons ofWater

California's Biggest Reservoir Loses 265 Billion Gallons of Water

Biden touts efforts to reduce crime, pushing back on GOP claims: ‘Our plan is working’

Koch-backed group unveiling campaign showcasing ‘truth on Bidenomics’

‘Death and money bring out the worst in people’: My stepmother wants me to relinquish my rights to my late father’s estate. How do I handle this gracefully?

‘Death and money bring out the worst in people’: My stepmother wants me to relinquish my rights to my late father’s estate. How do I handle this gracefully?

The Red Bull Racing logo and Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen Red Bull exit clause revealed following Christian Horner investigation

The Return of the Clintons

The Return of the Clintons

Cannabis has 'deadly' effect on most common form of cancer, study finds

NGSR tanks

US to Sell Off Entire Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve

FILE - The Treasury Department is seen near sunset in Washington, Jan. 18, 2023. The U.S. sanctioned a deputy commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps., a Houthi militant member, firms registered in Hong Kong and the Marshall Islands and two ships, including one that transported $100 million in Iranian commodities to China. The sanctions block access to U.S. property and bank accounts and prevent the targeted people and companies from doing business with Americans. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick, File)

Small business reporting requirement found unconstitutional by Alabama federal judge

Advertisement

Supported by

Tommy Orange’s ‘There There’ Sequel Is a Towering Achievement

“Wandering Stars” considers the fallout of colonization and the forced assimilation of Native Americans.

  • Share full article

An illustration of a seated figure looking out over a landscape full of people in Native American clothing. A city and road bridge are visible in the distance.

By Jonathan Escoffery

Jonathan Escoffery is the author of the linked story collection “If I Survive You,” which was nominated for the 2022 National Book Award and a finalist for the 2023 Booker Prize.

  • Apple Books
  • Barnes and Noble
  • Books-A-Million

When you purchase an independently reviewed book through our site, we earn an affiliate commission.

WANDERING STARS , by Tommy Orange

Tommy Orange triumphantly returns with “Wandering Stars,” the follow-up to his groundbreaking 2018 debut, “ There There . ” Part prequel, part sequel, yet wholly standing on its own, Orange’s novel follows the descendants of Jude Star, a Cheyenne survivor of the 1864 Sand Creek massacre , for more than a century and a half, before catching up with the present day and landing in the aftermath of the first book’s harrowing climax.

The novel begins with an address on the American government’s multipronged campaign to eliminate the original “inhabitants of these American lands.” One such campaign came with the slogan “Kill the Indian, Save the Man,” Orange tells us, referring to the boarding schools where Indigenous children were forced to suffer all manners of torture in the name of assimilation.

But, Orange continues, “all the Indian children who were ever Indian children never stopped being Indian children … whose Indian children went on to have Indian children.” In spite of the calculated terror, and the incalculable loss, the government’s campaign failed and could only ever fail. This framing is part of what’s so special about this book: As we move through generations of the family — as Stars become Bear Shields, who become Red Feathers — and even as knowledge of their histories and customs becomes muddled or lost to time and tragedy, Jude Star’s lineage, and that of his people, remains unbroken.

Still, when the novel enters the 21st century, members of the Red Feather family lament society’s apparent refusal to see Native Americans as existing in the present day. While watching an Avengers movie, Lony, the youngest of the Red Feather brothers, imagines what powers a Native American superhero would have. He makes a list that includes “Can Fly (because feathers)” and “Invisibility (because no one knows we’re still here).”

Orange expands his focus on identity to consider the fraught relationship between race and blood. We hear from a high school student named Sean Price, an adoptee raised by white parents, who has just received the results of his DNA test. “He’d already assumed he was part Black,” Orange writes. “There was no mistaking the look you got if you were assumed Black or part Black in a white community — whether you were or were not all or part.”

Blackness, according to Sean, lies in others’ assumptions and becomes most pressingly about how one is perceived and treated. The point is emphasized when Sean and another adoptee friend make a habit of riding the city bus from the Oakland hills down into predominantly Black neighborhoods, where they are unbothered, and where they can “disappear completely” from the white gaze. But given his upbringing, “Sean didn’t feel he had the right to belong to any of what it might mean to be Black from Oakland.”

Sean considers what to make of the DNA results, which reveal European, Native American and African ancestry, and determines that “he couldn’t pretend to now be Native American, not white either, but he would continue to be considered Black, holding the knowledge of his Native American heritage out in front of him like an empty bowl.” Data about his ancestry alone isn’t enough to allow him to feel he can claim it.

Later, Sean seeks guidance from his schoolmate Orvil Red Feather, asking, “So, like, can I say Indian?,” to which Orvil responds, “If you’re Indian.” The novel does not include the percentages that typically accompany these DNA test results, perhaps to dissuade readers from attempting to construct Sean’s identity on his behalf. It’s as if Orange is saying, You can’t decide this for Sean.

It’d be a mistake to think that the power of “Wandering Stars” lies solely in its astute observations, cultural commentary or historical reclamations, though these aspects of the novel would make reading it very much worthwhile. But make no mistake, this book has action! Suspense! The characters are fully formed and they get going right out of the gate. Our first moments with Jude Star are heart-pounding, and our final moments with him, as we find him on the cusp of a decision that will forever change his family’s fate, will make you want to scream “Don’t do it!” The fact that you’ll want to scream “Do it!” just as strongly speaks to the power of Orange’s storytelling abilities.

“There There” fans will be happy to see the return of the half sisters Jacquie and Opal, and to have questions from Orange’s first novel answered. Will the once-estranged Jacquie stick around to help raise her grandsons? Will she relapse again? What led her to run away and leave Opal behind in her teenage years?

As the fallout of colonization and forced assimilation takes its toll on the family, its most definitive impact is addiction. Jude battles alcoholism and, like a family curse, addiction wends its way through his descendants, reaching even the youngest generation of Red Feathers. Sean and Orvil become fast friends, having in common dead mothers, recent hospitalizations and a growing desire to sustain the high they experience via the painkillers they were prescribed for their respective injuries. Add to the boys’ blossoming addictions the fact that Sean’s adoptive father has become a drug dealer and manufacturer with a seemingly endless supply of pain pills on hand, and the friendship becomes a powder keg. It would be easy to reduce this friendship to its toxic elements, but the boys also share a love for musical instruments and a brotherly love for each other that’s difficult to root against.

Orange’s ability to highlight the contradictory forces that coexist within friendships, familial relationships and the characters themselves, who contend with holding private and public identities, makes “Wandering Stars” a towering achievement.

WANDERING STARS | By Tommy Orange | Knopf | 315 pp. | $29

Explore More in Books

Want to know about the best books to read and the latest news start here..

James Baldwin wrote with the kind of clarity that was as comforting as it was chastising. His writing — pointed, critical, angry — is imbued with love. Here’s where to start with his works .

After nationwide protests over racial inequality led publishers to promise they would reshape their overwhelmingly white industry, a survey showed they made little progress toward a more diverse publishing work force .

Aaron Lansky spent a lifetime building the Yiddish Book Center, one of the country’s leading Jewish cultural institutions. He’s ready to hand over the reins .

For three decades, the iconographer Mark Doox has explored anti-Blackness in America and in the church. That work has culminated in a book, “The N-Word of God.”

Do you want to be a better reader?   Here’s some helpful advice to show you how to get the most out of your literary endeavor .

Each week, top authors and critics join the Book Review’s podcast to talk about the latest news in the literary world. Listen here .

Meet Your Neighbor: Crestline's mayor and her family's local legacy

You may drive on Horning Road and Stein Road in Richland County everyday but never knew their history ― until now.

The roads are named for ancestors of Crestline’s current mayor.

Meet your neighbor Linda Horning-Pitt, who began her second four-year term as mayor of Crestline after winning re-election in November.

Joseph Horning, or Hornung, as it was spelled in his ancestral homeland of Muggensturm, Germany, arrived in America in 1846 with his wife, Katerina. “They came over in their early 40s possibly, but they had to petition Germany to leave Germany," Horning-Pitt said.

They brought with them five children: Justin, Alice, Cecilia, Roseanne and Johanna. After they arrived another daughter, Elizabeth, was born.

Katerina had a brother, Vincent Melcher, already in America. Melcher and his wife, Philomena, owned 80 acres of farmland in Crawford County, so Joseph came to farm his brother-in-law’s land. “(Philomena’s) name was on that deed, which was highly unusual way back then,” Horning-Pitt said.

The original 80 acres was between Ohio 598 and Baker Road in Crestline.

“Between Klahn (Road) and German (Road), halfway down, you can see where the creek goes under the road when you’re on Klahn and it’s right there. That’s where they built the house,” Horning-Pitt said.

After his wife died, Joseph lived with his daughter, Cecilia, and her husband, Andreas Castner. Joseph’s son, Justin, had ambitions to own and farm land beyond the limits of Crestline. The mayor of Crestline comes from the line of Justin.

Justin went on to purchase and sell around 216 acres in Richland County at the corner of Horning Road and Hook Road, according to research Horning-Pitt and her father did at the County Recorder’s Office.

“Justin, my great-great-grandfather, had all this land and Horning Road in Richland County is named after him, the one that runs right by PPG (now Vitro),” Horning-Pitt said.

A large lineage

Justin and his wife, Chrisentia, had 12 kids, 11 biological. "They adopted an Italian boy during one of the wars when they shipped the orphans over,” said Horning-Pitt.

Eight of the 11 biological kids — only two of them girls — survived. “They had a son named Frank, and he was my great-grandfather,” said Horning-Pitt. Frank’s closest-in-age sister, Alice, married a much older Pete Stein.

Pete and Alice’s house still stands.

“My great-great-great aunt and uncle, Alice and Pete, lived in the house on Horning and Settlement East. It’s the same house where Paul and Miriam Schroeder live today. Isn’t that cool?,” said an excited Horning-Pitt.

A family of business owners

Joseph’s daughter, Roseanne, like her brother, Justin, married into the Schill family. “She married a gentleman by the name of George Schill,” said Horning-Pitt. “Justin’s wife, Chrisentia, was also a Schill, so we had brother and sister marry brother and sister.”

Although George and Roseanne had a farm off Horning Road, they wanted to move into Crestline. The move was providential because once they did, their sons, Jonah and Joe, started (The) Schill (Bros. Co), which made the potbelly stoves that were sold across the country and even internationally.

In a recent newsletter put out by the Crestline Historical Society written by Rosemary Smarto (a former Schill), they had a key investor.

“They got the money from their grandpa, Joseph Horning. After so many years — 10, 15 years — he sold his shares. It’s an amazing story,” Horning-Pitt beamed. “I just really wish I had known him because it was like everything he touched almost turned to gold. He was a very astute businessman.”

His kids got their business acumen and know-how from his example.

Lasting legacies

From farmers to grocers to manufacturing and beyond, the Hornings have their place in local history but also national and even international history. One of their ancestors is now proud to serve Crestline as mayor.

“The boundary line (between Richland and Crawford County) is County Line Road, which is ironic. So you have the Wandering Lily Restaurant and then into Richland County, you have Dollar Tree. That whole road splits Richland from Crawford County (but remains in Crestline),” the mayor said.

The American Dream has flourished for the Hornings, and she believes yours can, too.

“We truly are the land of opportunity if you go for it and if you have the wherewithal to stick it out," Horning-Pitt said. "A lot of times, people quit. I’m looking at my relatives, and they didn’t quit. They stuck it out. They were successful. If you have a young family here, and you have a dream, then go for it. You may have to have another job while you’re pursuing the dream, but you can pursue that dream here."

She says the local marketplace is an ideal place to start.

“We have a lot of really neat opportunities for people to start their businesses; call them cottage businesses, working out of their home or working out of little offices downtown," the mayor added.

Readers can suggest future "Meet Your Neighbor" profiles to correspondent Joe Di Lullo at muckrack.com/dilulloj or [email protected] .

IMAGES

  1. What can I do to help these wandering roots. Would splitting the plant

    wandering roots

  2. Wandering Roots eBook : Root, Stephen, Root, Laura, Savage, Eric, Wulff

    wandering roots

  3. Wandering Roots Foto de stock

    wandering roots

  4. Wandering Roots, 1978 1988; From The Hothouse, 1989 1990 by Fatima Lim

    wandering roots

  5. Wandering roots : rootporn

    wandering roots

  6. Kolkata's Wandering Roots is making planter hampers for Rakhi

    wandering roots

COMMENTS

  1. Wandering Roots

    [email protected]| 1-616-822-9625. Serving and honoring all regardless of gender, race, or sexual orientation. Photos by Mod Bettie Portrait Boutique. Your Wandering Roots. Michigan. [email protected]. Hours. FAQTerms and Conditions. Adventure retreats with a laid back vibe so that you can choose your own adventure. We also ...

  2. Wandering Roots Campers- Custom Van Builds

    Wandering Roots was inspired by a deep love of movement, creativity and connecting more deeply with ourselves and the places our van has taken us. With features such . Located in the heart of the Cascades, Leavenworth, WA., we build vans that are intuitively designed, hand crafted, and made to roam. Wandering Roots was inspired by a deep love ...

  3. Wandering Roots Markets

    Wandering Roots Markets. 5,138 likes · 113 talking about this. Wandering Roots presents artisan pop-up markets around Fort Worth. Our markets are here to promote lo

  4. Solo Retreat

    "To put it simply, Anna & Wandering Roots is the best!! I have traveled on retreat with Anna and also used her services to take a dream vacation which she planned out perfectly! Retreating with Anna is amazing, no detail is overlooked and she takes the time to make sure there are so many options of what to do so you can "choose your own ...

  5. Traverse City

    Wandering Roots has partnered with two companies to provide you with extensive coverage at very affordable rates. If you follow through with your end of the work and purchase travel insurance, you will be covered during your retreat or your investment will be reimbursed if you can no longer attend your retreat.

  6. Costa Rica

    Wandering Roots has partnered with two companies to provide you with extensive coverage at very affordable rates. If you follow through with your end of the work and purchase travel insurance, you will be covered during your retreat or your investment will be reimbursed if you can no longer attend your retreat.

  7. Wandering Roots

    Wandering Roots. 1,244 likes · 13 talking about this. Hosting all-inclusive retreats locally and internationally Helping women in wellness host their own profitable retreats Retreat & work...

  8. Wandering Roots

    To Wander: La Fortuna: We hiked to the La Fortuna Waterfall.For a fee you can enter the park and hike down to the waterfall and swim in the pool. We also soaked in the natural hot springs in San Carlos.

  9. Wandering Roots Retreats in United States

    7 Day Pura Vida Yoga & Activities, Women's Retreat in Costa Rica. Alajuela Province, Costa Rica. Jan 29 - Feb 4, 2024. 5.0. (8 reviews) This Banff Retreat put on by Wandering Roots was EXACTLY what I needed! It was the perfect balance. From. USD $4,995.

  10. Wandering Roots

    Wandering Roots, Martinsburg, WV. 626 likes · 171 talking about this · 29 were here. Your source for beautiful and healthy house plants at a reasonable price! Now featuring fun workshops at our...

  11. Home

    Welcome to wandering roots Shop Small, Shop Local, Shop Wandering Roots Markets We support small and local businesses by curating vendor markets at venues all over Fort Worth, TX. At Wandering Roots Markets, you will find a variety of handmade goods, vintage, local art, fresh fashion, foods and desserts. Enjoy live music, various performances and

  12. Wandering Roots

    Wandering Roots. 695 likes. Americana Vegan Street Food

  13. Wandering Roots Farm

    Wandering Roots Farm, Gold Hill, Oregon. 955 likes · 2 talking about this. Certified organic fruit and vegetable farm. We sell our produce at several farmers markets, restaurants and grocery stores...

  14. Wandering Roots

    Wandering Roots. 251 likes. Fresh new songs, deep 'ol roots. Original acoustic music born of wandering roots and wandering souls. Wandering Roots ooze American roots, with a fresh, new, original,...

  15. Life is short! Buy all the plants!

    FIND HAPPINESS HERE. Home. Upcoming workshops & events. Catalog. Contact. Fill your home and life with beautiful plants.

  16. Fort Worth: Artist disinvited from market over LGBTQ beliefs

    "Wandering Roots Markets was established in 2020 by two LBGTQIA+ allies and has hosted The Lucky Pot and many other members of the DFW queer community. Wandering Roots Markets are and always have ...

  17. Where To Find Us

    Wandering Roots Farm is a 50-acre farm located in the heart of the Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon. Started by Jeff and Anna Boesch in 2012, what was once a giant hay field has transformed into a diverse, sustainable fruit and vegetable farm with 8 acres of vegetables, 1 acre of mixed berries, and over 2 acres of mixed fruit and nut trees. ...

  18. About Us

    Wandering Roots Farm. 2001 N River Rd. Gold Hill, OR 97525 (541) 855-5346 [email protected]

  19. Propagating Wandering Jew (Tradescantia) In Water Or Soil

    Once your Tradescantia cuttings have 3-4" long roots, it's time to pot them up. Fill a clean pot with good quality, pre-moistened general potting soil. Then plant the stems at the same depth they were in the water or growing medium, ensuring the roots are fully covered.

  20. Wandering Roots Farm

    240 Rushford Road, Fletcher. 970-232-5404. Visit Wandering Roots Farm on Facebook, Instagram. Email Wandering Roots Farm. Retail outlet: Farm stand open July-August. Where else to find products: Jeffersonville Farmers' Market, Cambridge Village Market. For special orders feel free to call or message us. Offerings: Wandering Roots is a family ...

  21. Wandering Roots

    Wandering Roots, Delaware, Ohio. 842 likes · 71 talking about this · 14 were here. Boutique Plant Shop for your favorite house plants and accessories!

  22. A Walk on the Wild Side: "Walking Palm Trees" Really Stride ...

    This wasn't the only hypothesis put forward to explain the walking palm's stilt-like roots and reputation for wandering. In 1980, anthropologist John H. Bodley came up with another possible answer.

  23. Book Review: 'Wandering Stars,' by Tommy Orange

    Tommy Orange triumphantly returns with "Wandering Stars," the follow-up to his groundbreaking 2018 debut, "There There. " Part prequel, part sequel, yet wholly standing on its own, Orange ...

  24. Mayor Linda Horning-Pitt's ancestral roots deep in Crestline OH area

    Justin went on to purchase and sell around 216 acres in Richland County at the corner of Horning Road and Hook Road, according to research Horning-Pitt and her father did at the County Recorder ...