The Angel Oak - Johns Island, SC

The Angel Oak is a Southern Live Oak Tree located on Johns Island, near Charleston, South Carolina.  It is estimated to be in excess of 1500 years old, it stands 65 ft tall, measures 28 ft in circumference, and shades with its crown an area of 17,000 square feet. Its widest crown spread point-to-point is 180 ft, which is longer than any other live oak in the country. Its longest limb is 105 feet in length. The tree and surrounding park have been owned by the city of Charleston since 1991.  The Angel Oak is thought to be one of the oldest living organisms east of the Mississippi River.  
The Angel Oak stands on part of Abraham Waight's 1717 land grant from the English Colonies. The oak derives its name from the Angel estate, although local folklore told stories of ghosts of former slaves that would appear as angels around the tree. The tree has become a significant tourist attraction. It has survived countless hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and human interference. Angel Oak was damaged severely during Hurricane Hugo in 1989 but has since recovered.  Acorns from the Angel Oak have grown to produce authentic direct-offspring.