FARMINGTON — A bowl made from the wood of the Sesquicentennial Oak, a red oak tree that stood at the Farmington Public Library, corner of Academy and High streets, will be raffled as a library fundraiser.

The tree was taken down about three years ago because it would have interfered with a new utility pole. The tree was reportedly planted in 1954 during celebrations of the Cutler Memorial Library’s 50-year mark, making it the Sesquicentennial Oak.

Joe Rankin, who lives in New Sharon and is an avid user of the library, made the bowl.

Rankin, who just began a three-year term on the library’s board of trustees, has been a wood turner for about six years and sells useful and decorative turned objects at arts and crafts shows and festivals, the Belgrade Market (Sundays in the summer) and other locations.

He turns mostly native woods and is partial to oak, ash, birch and, especially, cherry. He sees creating turned art from trees like the Sesquicentennial Oak as preserving  little bit of history.

Raffle tickets for the bowl are available at Upfront and Pleasant. All proceeds will benefit the furnace fund for the library. 

Joe Rankin is pictured with the bowl he made that will be raffled as a fundraiser for the Farmington Public Library.