Treaty Oak (Austin, Texas)

The Treaty Oak is a Texas live oak tree in Austin, Texas, United States. Foresters estimate the Treaty Oak to be about 500 years old. Before its vandalism in 1989, the tree's branches had a spread of 127 feet (39 m). The tree is located in Treaty Oak Park, on Baylor Street between 5th and 6th Streets, in Austin's West Line Historic District. The tree was formerly known as "Raymond's Oak" after the original land patentee, James H. Raymond, the last treasurer for the Republic of Texas and first treasurer after statehood.

History and legends

Legends

The legends that surround Treaty Oak appear to have their origin in the 1920s before it was made an Austin park and was in danger of being lost. Then owner, Mrs. W.H. Caldwell, was unable to afford property taxes associated with the lots upon which the tree was located; the tree hindered her development of the lots for financial gain with which to pay taxes. As reported in the news "[Mrs. Caldwell] has paid taxes on [the lots] ... without gaining any return from her property, for the tree, with its breadth, practically covers the frontage of two lots and prevents selling them for building purposes." Treaty Oak may have been "part of an American tradition of declaring some trees special to protect them from the woodsman’s ax." That the tree was special to begin with in Texas history may have been due to confusion on history concerning Stephen F. Austin, the "father of Texas" and the City of Austin's namesake. Texas A&M Forest Service's Famous Trees of Texas categorizes Treaty Oak as "Folklore & Legends" and "Saved From the Axe", with no association with Stephen F. Austin.