Massive Water Oak in Buckner Park, Worthy of Preservation
By Deborah Burkett, Chairman Cherokee County Historical Commission
I get lots of phone calls regarding county history and questions about preservation. Such as, "Do you have a photo of my grandmother; she graduated from Lon Morris College or can you help me preserve the tombstone of my great uncle who died in Cherokee County in the late 1880s?"
But I must admit when Sandra Dickerson called with her request I was more than intrigued. Sandra's president of the Jacksonville Garden Club and wanted to know if the Cherokee County Historical Commission (CCHC) might help in the club's efforts to preserve several trees in town.
First she asked if we, in CCHC, had any background information concerning a huge oak tree which is cordoned off and surrounded by a fence on Wal-Mart's property. The tree sits behind the gas pumps and is located between Jack in the Box and a strip mall. During our discussion Sandra said, "If you think that tree is big, meet me this afternoon. Let's take a ride to Buckner Park. There's one at the park which makes the Wal-Mart tree look small."
One should never question the president of the local garden club when it comes to plants and trees, but I did. It couldn't be that much bigger, I mused. But Sandra was right; the Buckner Park tree is huge! It sits close to the gazebo and flower beds which, years ago were installed and are beautifully maintained by the garden club.
Soon arrangements were made to have a representative from the Texas Forest Service meet us at the park to measure the tree. We were curious how it compared to others in the state. Jason Ellis, Jacksonville District Forester with the Texas A & M Service, would soon supply answers. He met with Sandra and me, along with club VP, Barbara Boren, to assess the tree.
The tree is a Water Oak and measures 148 inches in circumference and 79 feet in height but does not surpass the Champion Water Oak in the state of Texas. That honor goes to one in Freestone County which has a circumference of 254 inches, although the crown spread of the Buckner Tree is bigger than the Freestone County tree. The crown spread is defined as "the mass of foliage and branches growing outward from the trunk of the tree."
In terms of how old the tree might be, Mr. Ellis said, "The approximate age or rough estimate is anywhere from 200 to 250 years old…"
While mulling over this information, I tried to put the Jacksonville tree in historical context. James Madison was President of the United States 200 years ago, while 250 years ago in 1765 Virginia's Patrick Henry was expounding upon the "taxation without representation" argument. Closer to home, in 1821, Stephen F. Austin led three hundred families--the "Old 300"-- and opened up Texas, making way for more settlers.
Ellis concurred with what was going through my mind. He explained "Yes, this tree is very historic and worthy of our time and consideration. Preserving the health of the tree is critical if future generations are to enjoy it…the Buckner tree is in the top 10 of Water Oaks measured in Texas, but only the Champion trees of each variety are listed on the Texas Big Tree Registry…."
Mrs. Dickerson elated with the assessment of the tree, explained the garden club's role, "It is our goal to preserve and enhance the beauty in our community. This majestic tree was discovered in our own Buckner Park. Working with the Cherokee County Historical Commission and Texas Forestry Service has been exciting and we are going to do all we can to see this tree gets the care and recognition that it deserves."
I don't doubt Sandra for a minute! She and the women of the garden club will achieve their goals. All of us in Jacksonville and Cherokee County are fortunate to have them working diligently to ensure we're surrounded by beautiful flowers, trees and plants of all varieties.
We, in the CCHC, are pleased to do what we can to help with their preservation efforts. You need to do so as well.
