Orestes Oak Tree - Exceptional Trees on Waymarking.com

Since about 1670 this oak has been a landmark for a Delaware Indian Trail, for the Fort Wayne Trace, for the village of Orestes and for God.
Madison County Histroical Society
1972

This waymark is dedicated to the OLDEST tree in Indiana: the Orestes oak tree. (over 350 years old!)

There used to be a geocache here. It is now archived but the pictures from geocachers are worth a look!
(visit link)

The heart of Orestes has been decorated for approximately 350 years by a magnificently beautiful white oak tree. The late Raymond Davis led citizens of Orestes to gain recognition for the tree. The age was approximated by arborists from Purdue University and in 1970 the tree measured 77 inches in diameter and towered over the Christian church parsonage. Those examining the oak described it as monstrous for any hardwood. It miraculously survived the tornado of 1922 not to mention numerous lightning, wind and ice storms.

Then the Big Tree began to come into the limelight. Books were written with articles about it, pictures were made of it, and etchings were made. The Madison County Historical Society led by such prominent Andersonians as Elwood Phillips, Gene Bock, Howard Eldon, Russell Davis, Charles and Esther Dittlinger, Helen Baumer, and David Bucove secured and dedicated a bronze plaque to the Oak in 1973. And suddenly the Big Tree was a celebrity. Many came to see it and tourists were attracted by highway markers.

Genus/Species: White Oak - Quercus Alba Height: 178 Girth: 17 Method of obtaining height: Reliable source Method of obtaining girth: Tape Location type: Private property Age: 350 Historical significance: The International Society of Arboriculture and the National Arborists Association jointly recognize this significant tree in the bicentennial year as having lived here during the Revolutionary period 1776 1976 Planter: Mother Nature I guess. In 1670's the French made no note of planting in the area and the Indians had no known written language. Website reference: [Web Link] Parking coordinates: N 40° 16.207 W 085° 43.663 Walk time: 0 Photograpy coordinates: N 40° 16.207 W 085° 43.663

Visit Instructions:
A closeup picture of your GPS receiver in your hand, with the tree in the background, is required. If the tree is on private property, this closeup photograph with the tree in the background may be taken from the nearest public vantage point without actually going to the tree.
The required photograph does not need to show the entire tree, but the individual tree must be recognizable.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   10/03/2014 Jim8490 visited it 08/18/2013 DnRseekers visited it 07/14/2012 djhobby visited it

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