A Historic Tree is a tree (or group of trees) that are at least 50 years old and share a significant event (or events) in a specific place in time. This is a brief statement that helps to quantify what we are looking for without any strong limitations. What is “significant” could vary according to the point of view but the Texas Historic Tree Coalition often refers to historians, anthropologists and other experts for recommendations. In essence, credible historic reference materials must be provided and historic references should be corroborated by a reputable source before we can pursue further investigation. Size, age, or a great story behind a tree can also contribute to a tree’s significance.
A Heritage Tree has deep significance to a community. Again, what is of “deep significance” can vary but should be quantified as much as possible. As an example, if a new tree (or grove of trees) was planted in honor of someone or a group of people that are significant to the community, an application for recognition could be submitted.
The Texas Historic Tree Registry is a program set up to identify and honor historic and heritage trees in Texas. Historic tree nomination forms are available in the “Trees” drop-down menu below “Historic and Heritage Trees” or by following this link: https://txhtc.org/historic-tree-nomination-form/. Submissions for heritage tree status should be submitted using the historic tree nomination form since many of the criteria are the same or similar.
Indigenous people have lived along the Brazos River for thousands of years. In historic times the area of present-day Waco was occupied by the Wichita Indian tribe known as the “Waco” (Spanish: Hueco). Some historians think an Indian village described by Spanish explorers in the 1500s was at the current site of the City of Waco. In 1824, Stephen Austin sent Thomas M. Duke …Read More
Located in the Southeast section of Bob Woodruff Park, Plano’s Quadri/Quincentennial Bur Oak (previously named the Bicentennial Bur Oak) is the largest, oldest known tree in North Texas. Its location in Bob Woodruff Park, referred to as a hardwood bottomland forest, is historically subject to flooding; therefore, the soil is very rich and contains sediment …Read More
The massive Half-Way Oak has been a popular rest stop providing shade and comfort for those traveling on foot, horseback, wagons, and automobiles for well over 200 years[1]. Located 13 miles south of Breckenridge on U.S. 183 at a southern Stephens County rest area, the Live Oak tree got its name from its location on …Read More
About 100 feet from the Champion Incense Cedar tree in Garland Memorial Park along South Garland Avenue once stood the majestic State Champion Shumard Red Oak. This oak was recognized in 1999 by the Texas Forest Service as the largest of its species in the area including all of Dallas, Tarrant, and eight adjoining counties. …Read More
Dr. Hammond Bouldin and his wife, Eliza, are buried in the Bouldin Family Cemetery, located in the garden of his home in Old Lawn, Texas. At one time, it was a very beautiful cemetery surrounded by an ornate iron fence. Three tombstones remain with Dr. and Mr. Bouldin’s names. The cemetery was maintained by a …Read More
This towering California Incense Cedar is native to the Pacific Northwest. The tree is not a true Cedar but belongs to the Cypress family and is also referred to as a False Cedar. It was named State Champion in 1998 by the Texas Forest Service, and there are none larger currently registered in Texas. It …Read More
This majestic cottonwood, standing more than 70 feet tall with a circumference of more than 12 feet, stood at the center of the Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park for more than 70 years. It was admired for its towering beauty for decades, providing bountiful shade for hundreds of thousands of visitors to the State …Read More
The Conservation Committee of the Nancy Horton Davis National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) nominated the Adamson High Red Oak for historic status in 2004. According to their nomination, the tree is believed to have sprouted in 1912 and was there when Oak Cliff High School moved there in September of 1916, to …Read More
June 10, 1996 was a historic day for the Dallas Historic Tree Coalition. Not far from the banks of the Trinity River and within shouting distance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard Bridge, Coalition members and guests gathered to recognize and dedicate DHTC’s first official historic tree. The massive Bur Oak, Quercus macrocarpa, has …Read More
At the time of its nomination and dedication in 2004, the Wisdom Pecan measured 54 feet high with a canopy of 70 feet at its widest and 60 feet at its narrowest, and it had a trunk circumference of 8 feet. The tree still stands today as a witness to history in the making and …Read More