Friendship Oak on the Gulf Park campus of the University of Southern Mississippi, Long Beach, Mississippi, October 2011Friendship Oak has massive, downward sweeping limbs that are typical of Quercus virginiana
Friendship Oak dates from the year 1487, and was a sapling at the time that Christopher Columbus first visited the New World. According to legend, those who enter the shade of its branches will remain friends for all their lives.[2]
In the 1920s, poet Vachel Lindsay taught at Gulf Park College for Women and read poetry to students beneath the branches of Friendship Oak.[3]
Friendship Oak was the 110th tree to be registered with the Live Oak Society.[4] At the time of registration (circa 1940), the tree's trunk circumference was 14 feet (4.3 m).
In 1950, the oak was featured in a Life magazine article about Gulf Park College, where students attended classes under the tree.[5]
The tree was 59 feet (18 m) in height with a trunk diameter of 5.75 feet (1.75 m).
The circumference of the trunk was 19.8 feet (6.0 m), and the crown spread was 155 feet (47 m).
The average length of the main lateral limbs was 60 feet (18 m) from the trunk with an average circumference of 7.5 feet (2.3 m) for the limbs at the trunk.
The tree's crown covered approximately 16,000 square feet (1486 square meters), and lateral roots extended 150 feet (45.7 m).
In August 2017, one of the main limbs on Friendship Oak broke due to the weight of new growth and heavy rain.[6] The tree's health was subsequently assessed by a certified arborist, and the failed limb was removed in October 2017. Remediation work included some pruning plus installation of bracing to support other limbs.[6]
Cultural legacyedit
Friendship Oak in December 2005, approximately 3 months after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi Gulf Coast
Numerous weddings have taken place beneath the branches of the Friendship Oak.[7][8] Most of the wedding ceremonies have been celebrated by former students of Gulf Park College or the University of Southern Mississippi.
Through the centuries, hurricane winds have defoliated the Friendship Oak and subjected its roots to seawater pushed inland from the Gulf of Mexico as storm surges. At least twice since the mid-1950s, acorns from Friendship Oak have been gathered to produce seedlings for replanting along the Mississippi Gulf Coast to replace live oaks that were destroyed by Hurricanes Camille (1969) and Katrina (2005).[9]
friendship, year, southern, live, quercus, virginiana, located, gulf, park, campus, university, southern, mississippi, long, beach, mississippi, campus, formerly, gulf, park, college, women, from, 1921, until, 1971, gulf, park, campus, university, southern, mi. Friendship Oak is a 500 year old southern live oak Quercus virginiana located on the Gulf Park campus of the University of Southern Mississippi in Long Beach Mississippi The campus was formerly Gulf Park College for Women from 1921 until 1971 1 Friendship Oak on the Gulf Park campus of the University of Southern Mississippi Long Beach Mississippi October 2011 Friendship Oak has massive downward sweeping limbs that are typical of Quercus virginiana Contents 1 History and folklore 2 Tree measurements 3 Cultural legacy 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory and folklore editFriendship Oak dates from the year 1487 and was a sapling at the time that Christopher Columbus first visited the New World According to legend those who enter the shade of its branches will remain friends for all their lives 2 In the 1920s poet Vachel Lindsay taught at Gulf Park College for Women and read poetry to students beneath the branches of Friendship Oak 3 Friendship Oak was the 110th tree to be registered with the Live Oak Society 4 At the time of registration circa 1940 the tree s trunk circumference was 14 feet 4 3 m In 1950 the oak was featured in a Life magazine article about Gulf Park College where students attended classes under the tree 5 Tree measurements editOn August 22 2011 staff from the Mississippi Forestry Commission took the following measurements on Friendship Oak 2 The tree was 59 feet 18 m in height with a trunk diameter of 5 75 feet 1 75 m The circumference of the trunk was 19 8 feet 6 0 m and the crown spread was 155 feet 47 m The average length of the main lateral limbs was 60 feet 18 m from the trunk with an average circumference of 7 5 feet 2 3 m for the limbs at the trunk The tree s crown covered approximately 16 000 square feet 1486 square meters and lateral roots extended 150 feet 45 7 m In August 2017 one of the main limbs on Friendship Oak broke due to the weight of new growth and heavy rain 6 The tree s health was subsequently assessed by a certified arborist and the failed limb was removed in October 2017 Remediation work included some pruning plus installation of bracing to support other limbs 6 Cultural legacy edit nbsp Friendship Oak in December 2005 approximately 3 months after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi Gulf Coast Numerous weddings have taken place beneath the branches of the Friendship Oak 7 8 Most of the wedding ceremonies have been celebrated by former students of Gulf Park College or the University of Southern Mississippi Through the centuries hurricane winds have defoliated the Friendship Oak and subjected its roots to seawater pushed inland from the Gulf of Mexico as storm surges At least twice since the mid 1950s acorns from Friendship Oak have been gathered to produce seedlings for replanting along the Mississippi Gulf Coast to replace live oaks that were destroyed by Hurricanes Camille 1969 and Katrina 2005 9 See also editList of individual treesReferences edit Gulf Park College Arch Restored Brings Back Memories for Alumnae Southern Miss Now www usm edu Retrieved 2018 04 08 a b Friendship Oak University The University of Southern Mississippi www usm edu Retrieved 2022 08 09 Patti Carr Black and Marion Barnwell 2002 Touring Literary Mississippi Jackson MS University Press of Mississippi Page 234 Retrieved 2011 10 12 LIVE OAK SOCIETY Registrations beginning in 1934 1 to 500 PDF Louisiana Garden Club Federation Inc lgcfinc org Retrieved 2018 04 08 Gulf Park By the Sea LIFE 1950 10 16 Retrieved 2018 04 08 a b Message from the Physical Plant Friendship Oak Update The University of Southern Mississippi www usm edu 2017 10 16 Retrieved 2022 08 09 Weddings Retrieved 2011 10 12 Archived May 8 2009 at the Wayback Machine Treehouse Retrieved 2011 10 12 Archived February 28 2011 at the Wayback Machine Friendship Oak seedlings to be planted along coast WLOX 2011 09 28 Retrieved 2018 04 08 External links editFriendship Oak 2017 University of Southern Mississippi 30 21 06 37 N 89 08 09 94 W 30 3517694 N 89 1360944 W 30 3517694 89 1360944 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Friendship Oak amp oldid 1145061246, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
