Allegedly Made from James Madison’s Cedar Tree, This One-of-a-Kind Heirloom Table is a Homage to the American Constitution

Allegedly Made from James Madison’s Cedar Tree, This One-of-a-Kind Heirloom Table is a Homage to the American Constitution
The tabletop is inlaid with words from the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution. Courtesy of Jason Byers
Updated:
Eric Horton, manager of the Klingspor’s Woodworking Shop in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was in for a surprise the day his lumber buyer came across some original tree slabs from Founding Father James Madison’s estate. The slab that really piqued Horton’s interest was a cedar one allegedly gifted by the Marquis de Lafayette to James Madison when he visited America in 1824. Oral history suggests that Lafayette brought cedar seeds with him as a gift to Madison from the country of France. Cedar trees are not native to North America, which makes the slab that much more special.

The slabs arrived rough sawn and completely unfinished. They estimated to be around three inches thick. By the time Horton was done, they were two inches, flattened, leveled, and completely finished.

Skylar Parker
Skylar Parker
Author
Skylar Parker covers health and lifestyle for The Epoch Times. She has written for Radiant Life and American Essence magazine. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in Media and Creative Writing in 2018. Skylar is passionate about tea, nutrition, nature, psychology, and the arts.
Related Topics