Alabama is filled with strange and unusual tales, and some of those literally grow on trees.
Just as the poisoning of Auburn University’s Toomer’s oaks reminded us how our roots blend with traditions, the 2012 discovery of an underwater forest off Alabama’s Gulf coast reminds us of ancient ties to the land. Earlier this month, scientists announced they believe the forest, located 10 miles out and 60 feet beneath the ocean, could be as much as 50,000 years old.
In honor of the recent loss of the beloved Toomer’s oaks and the discovery of the underwater cypress forest their discoverer calls “enchanted,” I gathered stories behind some Alabama’s famous trees.
The Tree That Owns Itself
A post oak in the picturesque town of Eufaula was, by some accounts, more than 200 years old when it achieved its liberation and subsequent fame in 1936. It had survived mishaps – the fire that destroyed the home of Confederate Capt. John A. Walker, in whose yard the oak stood, and a terrible tornado in 1919.
Mrs. Leonard Y. Dean, president of the Eufaula Garden Club in 1936, wanted to ensure the 65-foot-tall, 85-foot-wide tree survived for another 200 years. So she petitioned Mayor Hamp Graves Sr. and the city council, who asked Lt. Gov. Charles S. McDowell to draw up a “deed of sentiment.” In essence, the tree was deeded to itself.
To read more, visit AL.com: https://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2013/07/from_ancient_underwater_forest.html