A more lighthearted Poca story revolves around a historic tree that was at the very same establishment my prior story took place at.
When I first started working for Gino’s, I was placed at the Cross Lanes store. I was excited to have my own assignment and store. I’m sure I was annoyingly eager to be seen working hard. An early maintenance request I went over with my then supervisor Eve involved a tree that was in need of either trimming or removal. Eve told me, “We don’t cut trees around here!”
She said it so sternly I knew there was no sense pushing the issue, and I dropped it. I was soon moved to the Nitro store, which was the flagship of the operation. I again had a tree problem. So I did a run around and went to my boss’s boss I received a cryptic though familiar response… “We don’t cut down trees around here!”
I had to ask “Why did you tell me the same thing Eve did?” and this was the tale I was told:
Many years ago at the Poca store the manager, and DeFacto town mascot when the Dot is not available, had a customer come in to complain about a tree branch falling on his truck. It was a new pickup for work and he was not happy, he was also related to the sheriff as I was told. She called the guy that did her landscaping and asked if he would remove the tree. It was dead, had been for years no leaf to be found! Also it was now becoming a safety concern. The guy agreed to chop the tree down and that could have been the end of our story.
Until the owner, and local politician, who grew up in Plymouth down the street, saw what happened and HE WENT BALISTIC! Apparently, the tree was “The Hanging Tree” for the town and it had a protected status within the town’s government. As this was where public executions were carried out up through the 20th century. As a result of the ensuing calamity a new edict was declared to all the peasants in the kingdom: “We Don’t Cut Down Trees Around Here!”
This still comes up in 2025 nearly 30-40 years after the incident. Eve sadly passed away about this time of year in 2022 I will always miss her guidance and support! Thank you for riding with me!
Visibility: Rain
Destinations in West Virginia by order of appearance:
Poca
Cross Lanes (40:00)
Sissonville (47:00)
Pocatalico
Kenna (1:12:00)
Elkview (1:30:00)
Charleston (1:41:27)
South Charleston (1:50:00)
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