The Big Oak
Encyclopedia
The Big Oak is a large Live oak
(Quercus virginiana) located in Thomasville, Georgia
, USA
at the corner of Crawford Street and Monroe Street. The Big Oak is one of many historic landmarks located in Thomasville. The Big Oak was one of the earliest trees registered with the Live Oak Society. Registered by P.C. Andrews in 1936, the Big Oak was the forty-ninth Live Oak registered. At the time of registration, the Big Oak's girth was 21 feet 6 inches.
found from Texas
to Florida
to Virginia
. The common names for the Quercus virginiana include the Live Oak, the Southern Live Oak, and the Texas Live Oak. Size and growth varies depending on proximity to coastal regions. The larger Live Oaks tend to grow further inland, whereas Live Oaks in coastal regions tend to be smaller. Quercus virginiana produces small flowers during the spring, and the tree is pollenated by the wind. The Live Oak
is also considered a rapidly growing species. The growth of the Live Oak begins very quickly, however as it becomes older its growth rate begins to decline.
for centuries, and remains a major landmark in Thomasville today. The property on which the tree stands was once owned by Mr. and Mrs. John Albert Chastain. The Chastain family owned this property from 1906 until the mid 1960's. The Chastains raised their family in a home under this large Live Oak for nearly sixty years. Mr. Chastain's mother remembers a time when the Big Oak was standing in a pond, rather than the lot Mr. Chastain remembers. In 1966, Mrs. Elisabeth Ireland Poe and the city of Thomasville, purchased the property and turned it into a public park. Mrs. Poe was famous in Thomasville for her ownership of Pebble Hill Plantation
from 1936 until her death 1978. Mrs. Poe was dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of Thomasville and thus purchased the property along with the city. Also in 1966, a donation of a historic Victorian
style gazebo
was made by Mrs. Otto Carter of Meigs, Georgia
. This type of gazebo is a rare find in the present day, unless it has been re-fabricated in the Victorian Style
. Estimates in 1968 by Thomasville architect Robert Jinright indicated that the cost of building such a gazebo would reach $10,000. The gazebo was restored and remains a focal point of the property today. At a 1969 Commission meeting, a proposal was made by the Thomasville Garden Club to allocate a $5,000 fund, known as the Walter Hildebrand fund, to the beautification of the property. After a unanimous decision by the Board to appropriate the funds, the Garden Center used the money to construct a lattice-work brick wall on two sides of the property. This wall is referred to by members of the community as "The Living Wall." The lot on which the Big Oak stands was dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Elisabeth Ireland Poe on February 7, 1982 by the city of Thomasville.
The Big Oak once received a distinguished visitor in 1958. On a hunting
visit to Thomasville with colleague George M. Humphrey
, Dwight Eisenhower stopped by to take a photograph of the tree on his way to the airport. The President
reportedly asked his driver to stop while he took a photograph. He then exited the vehicle
, stood on the porch of Mrs. Rudolph Keyton, took his photograph and returned to his car. While many in the city love and cherish the Big Oak, others are not so fond of it. In a letter to the editor in 1973, David Stuecher wrote: "We certainly ought to figure some reason to eliminate it, if for no other reason than to eliminate a potential safety hazard." He went on to say, "Why wait, when it's going to die eventually, anyhow."
Tourists are often another critic of the Big Oak. Many call into question the age of the tree as posted on the sign. According to Waymon Dekle, tourists often ask "how do you know it's 300 years old?" To which Dekle jokingly replies, "The little lady who planted the acorn lives right around the corner. Go round and talk to her."
system, as well as an "on call" tree surgeon. The various support cables are intertwined about the tree in order to provide strength to the limbs, some of which are mere feet above the ground. While efforts to protect the tree have been in place for decades, accidents have happened. In June 1973, a truck struck the tree at 8:15 a.m. The damage was minimal, however Frank Scites of Ochlocknee, Georgia
was charged by police for failure to stay on the city truck route. In 1975, two incidents occurred that damaged the Big Oak. City Manager John Baxter and Superintendent
Waymon Dekle surveyed the damage and called for immediate action to repair the damaged limbs. Two limbs were damaged by large trucks driving through the area without enough clearance. The Davey Tree Company worked for days to further protect the tree from damage, and perform routine maintenance on its limbs. In 1978 a 14 foot section of a broken limb was "surgically" removed from the tree in order to prevent further damage. According to Waymon Dekle, superintendent of parks and cemeteries, "When we find a diseased or damaged part it should be cut off or we could run the risk of losing the entire tree." The Big Oak has continued to grow throughout the past century, and will continue to do so if precautions are taken to assure its safety. In 1936 when the Big Oak was registered with the Live Oak Society it measured: 49 feet, 9 inches in height, 21 feet, 6.5 inches in girth, and had a limb span of 146 feet, 8 inches. Nearly forty years later, the tree had grown substantially. With a height of 68 feet, a girth of 22 feet and a span of 155 feet it was clear that the Oak was thriving in Thomasville.
events are held in the gazebo
, as well as Easter
sunrise services, picnics, and school field trips. The Big Oak serves as one of many tourist attractions in Thomasville. In 2005 The Big Oak produced acorns for the first time in decades. During the fall of 2005, Mrs. Carol SIngletary, granddaughter of John Albert Chastain, collected over one hundred acorns and cared for them throughout the germination
process. When they were large enough she placed them in potted soil and continued to raise them until they became seedlings. Of the remaining seedlings from the original one hundred acorns, Mrs. Singletary gave them to relatives who share her history of the property. Of the seedlings, several were given to Mrs. Singletary's sister, Rebecca Hasty Boswell. Mrs. Boswell raised three of the seedlings, and on Arbor Day
2009 Mrs. Singletary presented Sue White of Pebble Hill Plantation
with one of these seedlings. The tree was planted on Pebble Hill Plantation, and is referred to as "The Baby Big Oak." Recently, the city of Thomasville has implemented a camera that photographs individuals in front of the tree. If you wish to have a photograph taken next to the tree you simply need to dial (229 )236-0053. The picture will then be uploaded to the local website www.bigoak.rose.net
Live oak
Live oak , also known as the southern live oak, is a normally evergreen oak tree native to the southeastern United States...
(Quercus virginiana) located in Thomasville, Georgia
Thomasville, Georgia
Thomasville is the county seat of Thomas County, Georgia, United States. The city is the second largest in Southwest Georgia after Albany.The city deems itself the City of Roses and holds an annual Rose Festival. The town features plantations open to the public, a historic downtown, a large...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at the corner of Crawford Street and Monroe Street. The Big Oak is one of many historic landmarks located in Thomasville. The Big Oak was one of the earliest trees registered with the Live Oak Society. Registered by P.C. Andrews in 1936, the Big Oak was the forty-ninth Live Oak registered. At the time of registration, the Big Oak's girth was 21 feet 6 inches.
Quercus virginiana
The Quercus virginiana is a species of Oak treeOak Tree
Oak Tree may refer to:*Oak, the tree*Oak Tree, County Durham, a village in County Durham, England*The Oaktree Foundation, a youth-run aid and development agency*Oak Tree National, golf club in Edmond, Oklahoma...
found from Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
to Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. The common names for the Quercus virginiana include the Live Oak, the Southern Live Oak, and the Texas Live Oak. Size and growth varies depending on proximity to coastal regions. The larger Live Oaks tend to grow further inland, whereas Live Oaks in coastal regions tend to be smaller. Quercus virginiana produces small flowers during the spring, and the tree is pollenated by the wind. The Live Oak
Live Oak
Live Oak may refer to:*The live oak, any of several types of oak trees that have evergreen foliage.Localities in the United States:* Live Oak, Santa Cruz County, California, a Census-designated place...
is also considered a rapidly growing species. The growth of the Live Oak begins very quickly, however as it becomes older its growth rate begins to decline.
History of the Big Oak
The Big Oak dates back to circa 1680, which makes it one of the oldest Live Oaks in the country. The Thomasville Live Oak has been recognized several times for its long lifespan by various societies, including the International Society for Agriculture in 1987. The tree has been able to withstand human encroachmentEncroachment
Encroachment is a term which implies "advance beyond proper limits," and may have different interpretations depending on the context. Encroachment may refer to one of the following:* Temporal encroachment* Structural encroachment...
for centuries, and remains a major landmark in Thomasville today. The property on which the tree stands was once owned by Mr. and Mrs. John Albert Chastain. The Chastain family owned this property from 1906 until the mid 1960's. The Chastains raised their family in a home under this large Live Oak for nearly sixty years. Mr. Chastain's mother remembers a time when the Big Oak was standing in a pond, rather than the lot Mr. Chastain remembers. In 1966, Mrs. Elisabeth Ireland Poe and the city of Thomasville, purchased the property and turned it into a public park. Mrs. Poe was famous in Thomasville for her ownership of Pebble Hill Plantation
Pebble Hill Plantation
Pebble Hill Plantation is a plantation and museum located near Thomasville, Georgia. The plantation is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.-History:...
from 1936 until her death 1978. Mrs. Poe was dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of Thomasville and thus purchased the property along with the city. Also in 1966, a donation of a historic Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
style gazebo
Gazebo
A gazebo is a pavilion structure, sometimes octagonal, that may be built, in parks, gardens, and spacious public areas. Gazebos are freestanding or attached to a garden wall, roofed, and open on all sides; they provide shade, shelter, ornamental features in a landscape, and a place to rest...
was made by Mrs. Otto Carter of Meigs, Georgia
Meigs, Georgia
Meigs is a city in Mitchell and Thomas counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 1,090 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Meigs is located at ....
. This type of gazebo is a rare find in the present day, unless it has been re-fabricated in the Victorian Style
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
. Estimates in 1968 by Thomasville architect Robert Jinright indicated that the cost of building such a gazebo would reach $10,000. The gazebo was restored and remains a focal point of the property today. At a 1969 Commission meeting, a proposal was made by the Thomasville Garden Club to allocate a $5,000 fund, known as the Walter Hildebrand fund, to the beautification of the property. After a unanimous decision by the Board to appropriate the funds, the Garden Center used the money to construct a lattice-work brick wall on two sides of the property. This wall is referred to by members of the community as "The Living Wall." The lot on which the Big Oak stands was dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Elisabeth Ireland Poe on February 7, 1982 by the city of Thomasville.
The Big Oak once received a distinguished visitor in 1958. On a hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
visit to Thomasville with colleague George M. Humphrey
George M. Humphrey
George Magoffin Humphrey was an American lawyer, businessman and Cabinet secretary.Raised in Edenbronx, Humphrey received both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Michigan. After practicing law in his hometown for five years with his father's farm, he accepted a position with...
, Dwight Eisenhower stopped by to take a photograph of the tree on his way to the airport. The President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
reportedly asked his driver to stop while he took a photograph. He then exited the vehicle
Vehicle
A vehicle is a device that is designed or used to transport people or cargo. Most often vehicles are manufactured, such as bicycles, cars, motorcycles, trains, ships, boats, and aircraft....
, stood on the porch of Mrs. Rudolph Keyton, took his photograph and returned to his car. While many in the city love and cherish the Big Oak, others are not so fond of it. In a letter to the editor in 1973, David Stuecher wrote: "We certainly ought to figure some reason to eliminate it, if for no other reason than to eliminate a potential safety hazard." He went on to say, "Why wait, when it's going to die eventually, anyhow."
Tourists are often another critic of the Big Oak. Many call into question the age of the tree as posted on the sign. According to Waymon Dekle, tourists often ask "how do you know it's 300 years old?" To which Dekle jokingly replies, "The little lady who planted the acorn lives right around the corner. Go round and talk to her."
Preservation of the Big Oak
Various efforts have been made to preserve this magnificent landmark in Thomasville. These efforts include the addition of support cables, the implementation of an underground watering system, an above ground sprinklerIrrigation sprinkler
Irrigation sprinklers are sprinklers used on farms, golf courses, and yards, to provide water to vegetation and plants in the event of drought. They may also be used for recreation, as a cooling system, or to keep down the amount of airborne dust....
system, as well as an "on call" tree surgeon. The various support cables are intertwined about the tree in order to provide strength to the limbs, some of which are mere feet above the ground. While efforts to protect the tree have been in place for decades, accidents have happened. In June 1973, a truck struck the tree at 8:15 a.m. The damage was minimal, however Frank Scites of Ochlocknee, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
was charged by police for failure to stay on the city truck route. In 1975, two incidents occurred that damaged the Big Oak. City Manager John Baxter and Superintendent
Superintendent
Superintendent may refer to:*Superintendent , Superintendent of Police, SP, Senior Superintendent of Police or SSP - a police rank*Superintendent or Superintendent of Prison, Superintendent of Jail, Senior Superintendent of Jail - a rank in prisons - head of a district, central or special prison...
Waymon Dekle surveyed the damage and called for immediate action to repair the damaged limbs. Two limbs were damaged by large trucks driving through the area without enough clearance. The Davey Tree Company worked for days to further protect the tree from damage, and perform routine maintenance on its limbs. In 1978 a 14 foot section of a broken limb was "surgically" removed from the tree in order to prevent further damage. According to Waymon Dekle, superintendent of parks and cemeteries, "When we find a diseased or damaged part it should be cut off or we could run the risk of losing the entire tree." The Big Oak has continued to grow throughout the past century, and will continue to do so if precautions are taken to assure its safety. In 1936 when the Big Oak was registered with the Live Oak Society it measured: 49 feet, 9 inches in height, 21 feet, 6.5 inches in girth, and had a limb span of 146 feet, 8 inches. Nearly forty years later, the tree had grown substantially. With a height of 68 feet, a girth of 22 feet and a span of 155 feet it was clear that the Oak was thriving in Thomasville.
The Big Oak today
Efforts continue today to protect this historical tree from being damaged by people, however some damage has still occurred. On November 30, 2005, truck driver, James Hayden, collided with two of the trees large limbs and wrenched them from the tree. The Thomasville Police Department charged the driver with "Disobeying a traffic control device." The Big Oak is a very popular location for weddings and various other social gatherings. In 1985 alone, 23 weddings took place underneath the tree. Many receptions for various communityCommunity
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
events are held in the gazebo
Gazebo
A gazebo is a pavilion structure, sometimes octagonal, that may be built, in parks, gardens, and spacious public areas. Gazebos are freestanding or attached to a garden wall, roofed, and open on all sides; they provide shade, shelter, ornamental features in a landscape, and a place to rest...
, as well as Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
sunrise services, picnics, and school field trips. The Big Oak serves as one of many tourist attractions in Thomasville. In 2005 The Big Oak produced acorns for the first time in decades. During the fall of 2005, Mrs. Carol SIngletary, granddaughter of John Albert Chastain, collected over one hundred acorns and cared for them throughout the germination
Germination
Germination is the process in which a plant or fungus emerges from a seed or spore, respectively, and begins growth. The most common example of germination is the sprouting of a seedling from a seed of an angiosperm or gymnosperm. However the growth of a sporeling from a spore, for example the...
process. When they were large enough she placed them in potted soil and continued to raise them until they became seedlings. Of the remaining seedlings from the original one hundred acorns, Mrs. Singletary gave them to relatives who share her history of the property. Of the seedlings, several were given to Mrs. Singletary's sister, Rebecca Hasty Boswell. Mrs. Boswell raised three of the seedlings, and on Arbor Day
Arbor Day
Arbor Day is a holiday in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant and care for trees. It originated in Nebraska City, Nebraska, United States during 1872 by J. Sterling Morton. The first Arbor Day was held on April 10, 1872, and an estimated 1 million trees were planted that day.Many...
2009 Mrs. Singletary presented Sue White of Pebble Hill Plantation
Pebble Hill Plantation
Pebble Hill Plantation is a plantation and museum located near Thomasville, Georgia. The plantation is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.-History:...
with one of these seedlings. The tree was planted on Pebble Hill Plantation, and is referred to as "The Baby Big Oak." Recently, the city of Thomasville has implemented a camera that photographs individuals in front of the tree. If you wish to have a photograph taken next to the tree you simply need to dial (229 )236-0053. The picture will then be uploaded to the local website www.bigoak.rose.net