ABOVE: Local girl, Natalie Flaherty, seen with some photos from an Anne Frank tree planting ceremony that Flaherty spoke at last spring in Nebraska. After going through the process to apply, Flaherty has received a tree that will be planted this spring in Fairmont.

FAIRMONT– A sapling from the original Horse Chestnut tree outside of the house where Anne Frank hid during the Holocaust is coming to Fairmont. The tree has been gifted to local 11-year-old Natalie Flaherty from the Anne Frank Center.

Flaherty’s mother, Becky Flohrs, explained that there are only so many trees each year gifted from the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam to the Anne Frank Center, which was started in America by Anne’s father, Otto, and his friend Jack Polak.

“They’re very particular about where the trees go. There needs to be something in relation to Anne Frank or inspirational people who honor her,” Flohrs explained.

Back in the fall of 2023, Flaherty dressed as her idol, Anne Frank, for Halloween and handed out dozens of bracelets that read ‘I stand with Anne. Put a stop to hate.’ That action was the first of many that has gotten Flaherty recognized around the globe for her efforts.

To date there are only 17 trees in the U.S.

“They’re at really prestigious locations like the U.S. Capitol Building, the 9/11 Memorial and the United Nations Headquarters,” Flohrs said.

Flaherty shared that Anne Frank had written about the Horse Chestnut tree in her diary. While the tree died in 2010, members of the Anne Frank house preserved chestnuts from the tree and have propagated them into saplings.

They learned about the trees back in April 2024 when Flaherty was a guest speaker at an Arbor Day celebration at the College of St. Mary in Omaha, Nebraska. Soon after that, she wanted to apply.

As part of the application process, Flohrs said they needed to identify some locations for the tree to be planted. One location was the Martin County Veterans Memorial in Fairmont. However, both that committee and the Martin County Board of Commissioners recently denied the request to have the tree planted there.

However, Flohrs said they had other locations in mind and one of them has worked out.

“We’ve solidified a partnership with Fairmont Area Schools,” Flohrs said.

She said that some details are still being finalized but that it will be planted at Fairmont High School this spring and that the district will make an announcement when everything is set.

Those who want to donate to the tree project can make a check out to Fairmont Area Schools and make a note that it’s for the ‘tree project.’

The tree will be shipped here and at the planting ceremony, Dr. Lauren Bairnsfather, CEO of the Anne Frank Center, will speak.

Flaherty is understandably excited to have the tree come here.

“It’s so honorable to have something that once belonged to Anne Frank. It was a piece of her history,” Flaherty said.

Flohrs added that it will be good for education purposes as well.

“We’re very lucky to be able to have it,” Flaherty said.

While she waits for the tree to come, Flaherty and her mother are looking forward to traveling to Amsterdam next week where they will get to tour the Anne Frank House.