Arbutus Oak facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arbutus Oak
The Arbutus Oak as seen on a partly cloudy day facing north
Species	White oak (Quercus alba)
Location	Arbutus, Maryland
Date seeded	c. 1690; 335 years ago (1690)
Custodian	Arbutus Community Association

The Arbutus Oak was a very large white oak tree. It grew in Arbutus, Maryland, which is about four miles southwest of Baltimore. The tree was located near the Baltimore Beltway and I-95 highways. It was on a small island of land between busy roads, so it was hard to reach.

Sadly, the Arbutus Oak split in half and fell. Photos show it has been down since at least June 2019.

The Importance of the Arbutus Oak

The Arbutus Oak was over 300 years old. It stood more than 70 feet tall. This made it one of Maryland's biggest and oldest white oak trees.

People say that General Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette passed by this oak tree. He was with his troops in 1781. They were on their way to Elkridge during the Revolutionary War.

When highways were built in the 1950s, something special was found. Workers discovered items from Native American history around the tree. Because the tree was so important, highway planners changed their plans. They moved the highway ramp a bit south to save the tree. Drivers on Interstate 95 going south towards Washington could see the tree.

Remembering the Arbutus Oak

Two special plaques were placed near the Arbutus Oak. One plaque was on a fence. It said: "THE ARBUTUS OAK. DEDICATED TO THE CITIZENS OF ARBUTUS AND HALETHORPE. 1972. SPONSORED BY THE LIONS CLUB OF ARBUTUS. ESTIMATED TO BE 300 YEARS OLD IN 1990." The Arbutus Lion's Club also put a fence around the tree in 1972.

The second plaque was a highway sign. It showed the tree's name. This helped drivers on I-95 south see what the tree was called. Also, a marked tombstone for Emmanual Wade was in front of the tree. He was the first owner of the land now known as Arbutus.

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