An Introduction to Commemorative Live Oak Trees

Tony Blair

Margaret Thatcher

On the coast of Georgia, at the Sea Island Luxury Resort, there are a great number of large oak trees dedicated for special purpose. While the most famous of these commemorative trees are Presidential Live Oaks, many other oaks have been dedicated to influential Georgians, dignitaries and royalty. The only English Oak tree among these special trees that was planted from an acorn instead of a live oak tree is the James Oglethorpe Oak. Planted by Sea Islands' founder Howard Coffin, on Georgia Day, February 12th, 1931, this live oak tree was grown from a seed from Oglethorpe's estate in England in honor of Georgia's first governor. Queen Juliana of the Netherlands visited the United States in 1952, who thanked the U.S. for help in World War II, and Queen Juliana planted the "Queens Oak" in commemoration of her visit to the United States.

Former Prime Minister of Great Britain Margaret Thatcher planted a Live Oak in her honor in 1994 while she and her husband were vacationing at the Cloister Hotel. Tony Blair, Prime Minister of Great Britain, recently planted a Live Oak to commemorate his visit to the G-8 summit in 2004, hosted at Sea Island.

Queen Juliana

James Oglethorpe