Sign Up  /  Login

Battle Oaks LbNA #68004

Owner:Silver Eagle Supporter Verified
Plant date:Dec 30, 2014
Location:
City:Austin
County:Travis
State:Texas
Boxes:1
Found by: PI Joe
Last found:Jul 4, 2016
Status:FFFFF
Last edited:Dec 11, 2015
*** Part of my Famous Trees Of TX Series ***
Terrain Difficulty: Easy (flat, 400 yards RT)
Recommended Ink: brown, orange & green
Status: alive


Texans are fortunate to have such a rich and colorful historic heritage and trees which serve as witnesses to some of these historic events. Texas has also been blessed with trees famous for being the largest of their kind in America. "Famous Trees Of Texas" is a book written in 1970 by the Texas Forest Service that describes these trees, and this series will take you to some of them.


These three live oak trees were present on the original forty acres of the University of Texas campus when it opened in 1883. Legend says that when word was received that Northern troops had reached Galveston during the Civil War, the hill of oaks was destroyed to erect a fortress and protect the Texas Capitol, and only these three remain. In 1923, plans emerged to build a new biological laboratories building in the northwest corner of the campus, which would have meant destruction of these trees. Students and faculty raised concerns with Dr. William Battle, chair of the Faculty Building Committee, who took the matter up with the Board of Regents and convinced them to move the building farther east. The oaks were later named the Battle Oaks for their champion and you can see them on campus, then find this letterbox nearby on Shoal Creek Greenbelt.

Directions:
From Mopac Expy go east on Windsor Rd, which becomes 24th street, about 1.5 miles to Whittis Street on UT campus just across Guadalupe Street. The Battle Oaks are on the right surrounding the statue of Barbara Jordan. For the letterbox, drive back west on 24th Street to just past Lamar Blvd and turn left on Parkway. Park on left side of street, which is along Shoal Creek Greenbelt.

Clues:
Walk to cement path along creek and go right (south) past a sign about Custer, then uphill to a 3-way jct where cement ends and trail post points to Town Lake. Take far right wood-chip path 21 steps toward road, then go right off trail 15 steps to small 3-trunk tree. Letterbox is on left side under rocks. Please replace as described and be discreet.