The Live Oak of Double Live Oak Lane - Fayette County TX near Waelder, TX - Historic Trees on Waymarking.com

Time has allowed this Live Oak at the corner of Double Live Oak Lane and Elm Creek Road to grown into a truly ancient tree. In Central Texas, where this Live Oak lives, there are lots of old trees, but only a few, like this one, had been dubbed with a title like this one has. There was a companion oak up until 80 or more years ago, but not even a stump survives of the second oak. There was a small community in this area named Elm Grove from some time after the Civil War, around 1870s through to the 1950s. The local school was near this tree, but all that is left of it is a sign giving the dates the school operated (1876 - 1944). The only active remnant of the Elm Grove community is the Elm Grove Baptist Church, about 2.2 miles from the tree to the driveway of the church just down Double Live Oak Tree Lane, part of which is also labeled as FM 1115. The church cemetery has many generations of local church members in it who could testify to the local popularity of the Live Oaks on Double Live Oak Lane. As in many pioneer towns, the local meeting spot was usually under a large oak. This community had a pair of Live Oaks to reference when giving directions on how to find their house. The fact a street name of Double Live Oak Lane was given on exactly the same road where this tree remains today is a strong testimony to its local history and reputation. It was significant enough for the folks at the US Geodetic Survey organization to place one of their benchmarks next to it in 1943 so it could be referenced for surveying purposes. This tree is the sole survivor of the two trees and in many ways one of only a few things to survive the now old ghost town of Elm Grove.

To find this famous tree without a GPS, follow these driving directions:
Heading westward on I-10 from Flatonia toward Luling, take the exit onto US-90 toward Waelder. US-90 will be named N. Railroad Street in the town of Waelder. At the intersection of N. Railroad Street and Avenue E (FM 1115), turn right (northward) onto Avenue E/FM 1115. Drive about 4.4 miles on FM 1115 until you see the Fayette County boundary line. Just after the Fayette County Line sign, turn left onto what looks like a gravel road but is really Elm Creek Road. (If you miss this turn and continue around the curve, take the first left onto Double Live Oak Lane.) Drive to the junction of Elm Creek Rd. and Double Live Oak Ln. You will see a large, old, historic tree at the corner of these two streets.

Link to the benchmark next to the Live Oak of Double Oak Lane:
(visit link)

Website: [Web Link] Historic Event: Post-Civil War era community Street named after it and its former companion tree 1943 benchmark placed next to is shows it was a well known location in this region of the Texas Hill Country. Year: 1876 Species: Texas Live Oak (Quercus Fusiformis) Approximate Age: 200 Location: North of Waelder, TX in Fayette County.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   06/15/2019 WayBetterFinder visited it