Avalon Academy Houston Live Oak

Southern Live Oak, Quercus virginiana

For over 80 years, this tree has been a beloved landmark in Montrose, under which people have celebrated their weddings and tens of thousands of children have played in its shade.

The Story

In the heart of Montrose, a quiet guardian has stood watch for generations—her branches wide, her presence steady—and now she is officially honored by the Texas Historic Tree Coalition as a Texas Heritage Tree.

The Avalon Academy ‘Angel’ began her life not as one but times three – three individual live oaks, gracefully grown together over time, imperceptible to the average person, but not to arborist Matt Latham. Her lineage reaches back to the live oaks around the summer farm of Mirabeau B. Lamar (August 16, 1798 – December 19, 1859). [1] Lamar was elected as the second president of the Republic of Texas after Sam Houston. His summer farm was subsequently developed into the historic Hyde Park neighborhood in the late 1800s.

From the late 1940s to the 1980s, the Live Oak provided shade and comfort for the parishioners at The Lord’s Church, witnessing the construction of the Church school and sanctuary buildings. Since 1987, the site has been the home of Avalon Academy, an early childhood education center serving the neighboring communities. Thousands of Houston’s children have grown up under this Live Oak, as it has served as the center of outdoor learning and activity at the Academy for nearly 40 years. The massive trunk and sturdy limbs of the Avalon Academy Live Oak stand healthily to serve the children who play outside every day beneath the shaded cool comfort of Angel’s wings.

We are proud to celebrate this extraordinary Live Oak as a Texas Heritage Tree—recognizing her deep roots, her enduring strength, and the community that continues to love and protect her.

The Heritage Tree certificate for the Avalon Academy Houston Live Oak: