Quercus macrocarpa
This large bur oak was the only tree on the Vanderbilt campus known to predate the university. A landmark throughout the history of Vanderbilt University, it stood originally on the 1874 farm of Bishop Holland McTyeir. It was recognized in 1974 as being over two hundred years old with a plaque designating it as the Bicentennial Oak. It is also featured in the book The Trees of Vanderbilt and has its own webpage.
With a diameter of almost five feet and a crown spread of nearly a hundred feet, the Bicentennial Oak was one of the three largest trees on campus when it succumbed to age-related decay and fell November 12, 2022. The remaining salvageable wood was collected to be milled, dried, and reused for creating tables and other heirloom pieces. Following the loss of the Bicentennial Oak, a new bur oak was planted near the site in April 2023 to honor the university’s Sesquicentennial celebration.
Landmark Tree, 2016 • Nominated by Dr. Steve Baskauf • Photograph by Dr. Steve Baskauf
