Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: largest white oak in the world

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Hayes, Virginia
    Posts
    14,760

    largest white oak in the world

    MINGO OAK - NEAR HOLDEN, WV - BEFORE 1938

    The Mingo Oak stood near the head of Trace Fork of Pigeon Creek near the Logan-Mingo county line. A monarch of the mountains, the tree was reported to be the largest white oak in the world. For the last 100 years it lived, the Mingo Oak was one of the best-known shrines in West Virginia. Residents referred to it as ‘‘the church in the wild woods’’ because early settlers erected a pulpit surrounded by rustic benches beside its massive trunk. Almost every Sabbath day during the summer and early fall, rural ministers gathered their followers to conduct religious services underneath the canopy of green. It has been estimated that more than 500 sermons were preached there.

    The Mingo Oak was cut in the fall of 1938 after succumbing to the fumes of a burning coal refuse pile. It was cut by a special crew imported for the purpose from Webster County. The tree was felled by two loggers, Paul Criss and Upton ‘‘Uppie’’ Sears, with the help of Civilian Conservation Corps enrollees. At the time its age was calculated at 577 years, having sprouted in the year 1361. It stood 145 feet tall, just over eight feet in diameter at breast height, and had a limb spread of 96 feet. The trunk scaled at 15,000 board feet, and was calculated to weigh 55 tons. A movie was taken during the cutting, and sections of the Mingo Oak were preserved for the West Virginia State Museum and the Smithsonian Institution. Judge R. D. Bailey of Wyoming County had a gavel made from the wood of the tree. Approximately 2,000 people gathered to watch the fall of this West Virginia giant.

    This Article was written by Robert Beanblossom

    Mingo Oak Tree.jpg

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Okotoks AB
    Posts
    3,495
    Blog Entries
    1
    I love old tree stories. My computer desktop wall paper is a photo of Angel Oak, a 400 year old live oak in SC. Thought to be one of the biggest oaks on the planet. It is gorgeous.

    Angel Oak.jpg

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Northwest Indiana
    Posts
    957
    Awesome--thanks to both of you!!
    earl

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    New Hill, NC
    Posts
    2,568
    Great information Keith - thanks for sharing.

    Yesterday and today we slabbed up a very large white oak (54”) log for UNC Chapel Hill. The tree sprouted around 1780, give or take, and grew about 100 yards away from the very first building on campus.

    It died last year, and the University contacted us to mill it.

    We ended up slabbing the main trunk into 3”+ slabs, cut a couple of cookies off of the ends and then quartersawed the remaining 40%. The ray fleck was truly spectacular.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Modesto, CA, USA
    Posts
    9,889
    Interesting the way no blame was attached to mine waste being allowed to burn and kill the tree. Wonder how many residents it also killed? My father told me how as a boy the lead smelter in the San Francisco bay area would kill herds of cows when the winds shifted. They had to buy off the farmers each time. I believe they ended up with the worlds tallest brick chinmney.
    Bill D

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Michiana
    Posts
    3,047
    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Pratt View Post
    I love old tree stories. My computer desktop wall paper is a photo of Angel Oak, a 400 year old live oak in SC. Thought to be one of the biggest oaks on the planet. It is gorgeous.

    Angel Oak.jpg
    I've seen this one in person. It is beyond amazing.
    Sharp solves all manner of problems.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    NE Florida
    Posts
    299
    Quote Originally Posted by Rob Luter View Post
    I've seen this one in person. It is beyond amazing.
    I just happen to be going to Charleston pretty soon...I may have to check the Angle Oak out. I live near Jacksonville, FL, and there is a fairly large live oak down town....

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_Oak_(Jacksonville)
    Chris

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Okotoks AB
    Posts
    3,495
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Rob Luter View Post
    I've seen this one in person. It is beyond amazing.
    I'm really jealous.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •