Charleston's Angel Oak: Why is it Famous?
I’d heard about the Angel Oak for years before I finally visited it. I knew it was a big old Spanish Moss-draped live oak tree in John’s Island, but that’s about it. Here’s what I learned
Well, first of all, the Angel Oak is considered the largest Live Oak Tree east of the Mississippi and is 300 or 400 years old. Ok. That’s pretty old. I see why it’s famous. It’s also a symbol of resilience. Think about all the hurricanes in the Lowcountry in the last 400 years.
Want to know more details? Here’s what I learned. The Angel Oak is 65 feet high, with a 25-foot circumference and a 17,000-square-foot shaded area. Think about that in terms of the size of a house. That’s a lot of shade, right?
When you arrive at the Angel Oak, there isn’t much parking in the gravel lot, but we were able to find a spot. I hate that it is surrounded by a chain-link fence, but apparently, they are in the early stages of updating the well-visited park, which receives almost 400,000 visitors a year. It will become the Angel Oak Preserve, a 44-acre park and museum.
Walk through the gift shop to enter the park, where you can find information and memorabilia about the Angel Oak tree. Admission is free, but donations are accepted to help preserve the Angel Oak. When you read the stories about the history of the Angel Oak, or stand underneath its massive branches, it feels like a worthwhile donation.
You can take pictures of the Angel Oak, but tripods aren’t allowed. If you want a professional photoshoot, you’ll need a permit.
The Angel Oak tree is so fragile, and its roots are in need of protection, so you can’t bring a blanket or have a picnic under the humongous tree, as they don't allow food, drinks, or blankets. However, they do have benches and a fairly large area for kids to run around, back away from the tree, and walking paths. You can also bring a leashed pet in certain areas.
The tree is propped up with some two-by-fours in various areas where the branches are growing down toward the ground and back up to the sky. In certain areas, the large, heavy branches rest on the ground.
Archaeologists have discovered arrowheads, pipes, and pottery, which leads them to believe it could have been a ceremonial site. There are a couple of different versions about how The Angel Oak got its name. The land was owned by the Angel family during the Civil War. But there is also a history passed down: the Gullah Geechee people would see angels in the stars, and it began to feel sacred. There is also the thought that the name is a reference to the spirits of enslaved people buried nearby. I’m thinking it might just be all of those things.
