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The famous Tree That Owns Itself

Source en.wikipedia.org Click to Enlarge

Category Natural Wonders, Extraordinary Flora

The famous "Tree that Owns Itself" is a white oak located in Athens, GA. The original tree was granted a plot of land 8 ft. in radius by its owner. The official deed reads:

FOR AND IN CONSIDERATION
OF THE GREAT LOVE I BEAR
THIS TREE AND THE GREAT DESIRE
I HAVE FOR ITS PROTECTION
FOR ALL TIME, I CONVEY ENTIRE
POSSESSION OF ITSELF AND
ALL LAND WITHIN EIGHT FEET
OF THE TREE ON ALL SIDES
WILLIAM H. JACKSON

The original tree was felled by a windstorm in 1942, after it had grown too old and feeble to survive. In an effort to preserve Jackson's wishes, residents of Athens planted a seedling of the original tree in the same spot. The current tree is thriving at the corner of Dearing and Finley Streets, in its original plot of land. For more information, contact the Athens Junior Ladies Garden Club:

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• Hours 24 hrs.
• Address Dearing Street and Finley Street, Athens, Georgia, 30601, United States
• Cost Free

• The New Georgia Encyclopedia.
• Athens Historical Society.

Go to Google Maps

From US I85: Take exit 149 for GA-15/US-441 toward Homer/Commerce then Turn left at GA-15/US-441 S. Continue to follow US-441 S. This will turn into Commerce Rd then Martin Luther King Pkwy. From here Turn right at Elizabeth St, right at Cleveland Ave, then Turn left at Pulaski St. Turn right at W Broad St/GA-10/US-78 then Turn left at S Finley St. From Atlanta, GA: Get onto GA-401 N/GA-403 N/I-75 N/I-85 N and Continue to follow GA-403 N/I-85 N. Take a slight right at GA-316 E (signs for GA-316/Athens/Lawrenceville). Continue straight on GA-316/University Pkwy. This becomes Epps Bridge Rd/Epps Bridge Pkwy/US-78. Continue to follow Epps Bridge Pkwy, then take a slight right at Atlanta Hwy/GA-10/US-78. Continue to follow GA-10/US-78, which turns into Broad Street. Turn right at S Finley St.

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Comments

• Anonymous December 23, 2009
  There is a trust fund that pays the taxes, etc. for the tree. And yes, Finley is the last cobblestone street in Athens.
• Anonymous July 12, 2009
  Yep, the street is still cobblestone. I drove down it the other day. Didn't know that it was not the origianl. It's an oak tree, right?
• Anonymous July 12, 2009
  I wonder who pays its property tax?
• Anonymous June 12, 2009
  Actually it's the Son of the Tree That Owns Itself. The original died years ago and this one grew from a seedling. I happen to live just down this street...
• Josh June 5, 2009
  Hi tangerinewarrior, thanks for adding this odd tree! Sorry about the Athens vs. Athens confusion. Alas, the site is still a bit buggy, so we had to fix this one manually.
• Anonymous June 5, 2009
  I went to college at UGA, and I've been by the tree that owns itself many times. Fifteen years ago, when I last lived in Athens, a portion of Finley (just south of Broad) was the only remaining cobblestone street in the city; I don't know if that is still the case, though.
• tangerinewarrior June 4, 2009
  For some reason the website wants to put this in Athens Greece. The Tree is located in Athens, GEORGIA, U.S.