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| "The
Wedding Oak is a legendary Indian site that was popular into the 1900s. This tree
sheltered many marriage services. On December 24, 1911, three marriages took place
here." - Photo courtesy Jim
& Lou Kinsey, 2003 |
Also
known as the wedding oak, the marriage oak or the matrimonial oak, the legend
is that before the settlers arrived, that Indians stood under the tree to be wed
and that the tradition was adopted by the settlers. It's a simple story. That's
it. Indians and then settlers got married under it.
No ghosts, hangings
or mysterious signs carved into the trunk. Just a wedding tree. Outside of San
Saba. End of story. |
| After
being inspired to visit the tree (perhaps by the Kinsey's photo) photographer-at-large
Barclay Gibson made the trip all the way from Carlsbad, New Mexico to photograph
the tree.
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, 2004 |
Directions:
From San Saba: Turning
north from in front of the San Saba High School, you follow 9th street for 1/4
mile. After turning left onto China Creek Road, proceed about a mile and you'll
see the shade provided by the tree.
Photographer Gibson provided another
tip: "The Wedding Oak is right up (down) the road of the Beveridge
Suspension Bridge near San
Saba. If you've been to the bridge, you've passed under this tree." |
Historical
Marker TextWedding
OakA legendary
Indian site, popular into the 1900s, Wedding Oak sheltered many marriage services.
Three occurred in one day, Dec. 24, 1911. |
| Some people have
confused this tree with the "Center of Texas Oak" near Mercury in nearby
McCulloch County. But although they're both live oaks - they are indeed separate
trees with separate stories. (They also happen to be about 40 miles apart.) People
who wanted to get married stood under this one - and people (for whatever reason)
who wanted to stand in the geographic center of Texas stood under the other one.
This might be a good opportunity to explain a basic difference between
folklore and history. Historians would want to see documentation about Indian
courtship rituals while folklorists would just say people got married here and
leave it at that. If the real truth was known, we might be calling it the "Getting
out of the Rain" oak - since that was another tradition shared by both Indian
and settler. (Our
thanks to both The
Kinseys and Mr. Gibson
and if anyone else wants to send in a photo of the tree - we'd love to have one
taken from the other side. - Editor) |
| The
other side
Photo courtesy Judy McBride, November 2005 |
Visiting
the Wedding Oak? Where to Stay
Austin
Hotels | Llano
Hotels
Anyone
wishing to share their wedding stories or information on Indian courtship and
marriage, please contact
us.
Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories, and vintage/historic
photos of their town, please contact
us.
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