Common Name: pin oak
Scientific Name: Quercus palustris
Category: Historic tree
Comments: This tree is known as the "Constitution Oak" and was planted on the town square of Christiansburg in 1902 to commemmorate the ratification of Virginia's 1902 Constitution. The planting ceremony was conducted by a group of Confederate veterans. The tree overlooks not only the Confederate monument beside it, but also the war memorial across the square that commemorates the county's fallen heroes from World War I to the present. In 1960, when the streets were being widened, the tree was slated to be cut, but a grass-roots movement to save it was successful and it still stands. According to "The Montgomery County Story" by Judge Charles W. Crush (1957), the tree stands on or near the spot where the first Montgomery County Courthouse was erected. In the 104 years since the tree was planted, it has seen three different courthouse buildings, and most of the buildings on the square have been replaced or remodeled, the streets have gone from muddy lanes to four-lane highways, and the horse-draw
Best time to photograph: summer or fall, morning or early afternoon
Nominator: Kathie Hollandsworth
This tree is not on public or publicly accessible property. The owner's name, address, and the exact location of the tree are not displayed to protect the privacy of these individuals. If you are the owner and wish to make this information public, please let us know.
County/City: Montgomery