Claremore’s Arbor Day Legacy: J. M. Davis and the Tree Planting Campaign

Long before Claremore became the welcoming and character rich community we know today, it was a place still finding its identity. Its streets were not yet shaded by mature trees, and its landscape had not yet been shaped by generations of thoughtful care.

That transformation did not happen by accident.

It happened because individuals made a deliberate choice to invest in the future of their town.

One of those individuals was J. M. Davis.

On September 30, 1920, the Claremore Progress recorded a moment that would quietly influence the character of the city for generations. A tree planting campaign, inaugurated by The O’Bannon Company and J. M. Davis, set in motion an effort to bring beauty, shade, and permanence to Claremore.

This is more than a historical footnote. It is a story of vision, stewardship, and civic pride. It is also a story that connects directly to the meaning of Arbor Day.

The article describes the campaign as a movement "of better things for Claremore and her people". That phrasing reflects a mindset that valued long term impact over immediate results. Trees were not planted for quick reward. They were planted for what they would become.

The campaign invited residents to participate in shaping the city itself. Property owners were encouraged to support the effort, and if sufficient interest developed, trees and other foliage would be added throughout the community.

This was a shared investment in Claremore’s future.

It recognized that a city’s identity is built not only through commerce and construction, but also through care, intention, and a commitment to beauty.

J. M. Davis is most often associated with the museum that bears his name, a place dedicated to preserving history and inviting exploration. Yet this moment reveals a broader dimension of his legacy.

His involvement in the tree planting campaign shows that he was not only concerned with preserving the past. He was equally invested in shaping the present and influencing the future of Claremore.

This is an important distinction.

It positions Davis not simply as a collector, but as a civic participant who understood that the strength of a community lies in both its history and its environment. His support for beautification efforts demonstrates a belief that Claremore should be a place of pride, comfort, and lasting appeal.

One of the most compelling insights from the 1920 article is its reflection on Claremore’s landscape. It notes that nearly all of the trees in the city had once been planted by someone.

That statement carries weight.

It reminds us that the environment we experience every day is the result of deliberate action. Trees do not appear on their own in meaningful ways. They are planted, nurtured, and protected. Over time, they shape how a place feels.

They soften the edges of streets. They provide relief from the Oklahoma sun. They create a sense of permanence and belonging.

In Claremore, they became part of the city’s identity.

Arbor Day is rooted in the belief that communities flourish when people take responsibility for their surroundings. It celebrates the idea that planting a tree is an act of faith in the future.

The 1920 tree planting campaign reflects that same philosophy.

It was an effort grounded in participation, vision, and a shared commitment to improvement. It invited citizens to contribute to something larger than themselves. In doing so, it strengthened both the physical and cultural fabric of Claremore.

J. M. Davis’s role in this effort connects his legacy directly to the values Arbor Day represents today.

The J. M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum preserves a remarkable collection, but it also preserves something less tangible and equally important.

It preserves stories.

Stories of individuals who shaped Claremore not only through what they collected, but through how they lived, led, and contributed to their community. The tree planting campaign is one such story.

It reminds us that J. M. Davis’s legacy extends beyond the walls of the museum. It is rooted in the city itself, in its growth, its character, and its continued sense of place.

The trees planted in Claremore during the early twentieth century were more than additions to the landscape. They were expressions of hope, intention, and civic pride.

They stand today as living reminders of a community that chose to invest in itself.

J. M. Davis was part of that choice.

His involvement in the tree planting campaign reflects a broader commitment to Claremore’s future, one that recognized the value of beauty, the importance of environment, and the power of collective effort.

Arbor Day invites us to consider what we are planting now, not only in soil, but in our communities.

It asks us to think about what will endure.

The story of J. M. Davis and the Claremore tree planting campaign offers a clear answer. Lasting impact often begins with simple, thoughtful action. A tree planted with purpose becomes part of a legacy that outlives the moment.

In Claremore, that legacy still stands.

“Tree Planting Campaign for Claremore.” Claremore Progress, September 30, 1920. Primary source newspaper clipping preserved in the J. M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum archives.

J. M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum. Official museum background source.

This page includes background on the museum and states that J. M. Davis served on the City Council for eight years and as mayor from 1921 to 1923 and again from 1933 to 1943.

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Arbor Day Foundation. General historical context on Arbor Day.

(https://www.arborday.org/celebrate/history)