This
magnificent White Oak stands in the DeFriece City Park in Bristol
and was living in 1814 when James King bought the property from Evan
Shelby (major in the Kings Mnt. Battle of 1780). The Rev. James
King developed the land as a plantation and left many of the tree
groves as shady areas to have picnics for his slaves and his family
through the years. Even long after all his slaves were freed and
the Rev. King had died (1867), the family continued to use the
groves for their picnics. During the Civil War a company of Federal
soldiers camped under the King Oak for several days and lived from
the produce (including livestock) of the plantation.
Many of the original trees were felled during the 1870’s to make
room for the development of Bristol, the lumber being used to build
many of the old homes in the town, including King College nearby.
Some of the wood was also used for Simon’s Carriage and Wagon works,
which also stood nearby. However, the land around the King Oak was
spared and was donated to the city to be used as a park by Mr.& Mrs.
Frank DeFriece.
The King Oak of Bristol represents the early
settlement of Upper East TN from the 1770’s through the Civil War,
and including the early development of Bristol.
Nominated by Lonnie Blevins and Mike Johnson.
Entered into the Landmark & Historic Tree
Register in 2005 as a Historic Tree
