Indiana's Oldest Tree Was One Of The Oldest Living Things In The Midwest
By Tori Jane|Published July 14, 2022
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Tori Jane
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Tori Jane is a storm chaser, writer, photographer, and the village idiot - in that order. When she's not out and about dancing with the meanest storms on planet Earth for funsies she can be found wandering, shooting landscapes, writing, editing photos, and otherwise up to no good. Legend has it that she can also be occasionally spotted typing up short bios in the third person, but those rumors are unsubstantiated.
So, fun fact: did you know that one of the oldest trees in the Midwest was right here in Indiana? It’s true! The Treaty Line Oak, as it was called by some, was thought to be at least 500 years old. Though it did (eventually) die in 2011, the tree was commemorated with its very own plaque and plenty of news stories about the not-so-little guy. It’s been over a decade since the oldest tree in Indiana left us, so we decided to write up a little tribute to it! After all, it’s not every day you get to brag about having had one of the oldest living things in the region call your state home.
In 1795, the Treaty of Greenville established a few things:
Just northeast of Fountain City, on Boundary Road, there was a gigantic old burr oak tree that was thought to be at least 500 years old, but some sources say it may have been as old as 800 years.
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If this approximated age was indeed correct, it meant a few significantly fascinating things:
If it was 500 years old at the time of its death in 2011, it would have sprung up out of the ground for the first time as far back as 1511. By 1511, the world was already a buzzing, active place, and the region that would become Indiana was no different. It had been occupied by Native tribes since as early as 8000 BC, and over the centuries, things changed, groups of people moved, and in general, it was life as usual.
Through the (literal) centuries, it remained, patiently watching as the world around it changed. By 1800, the area would be called the Indiana Territory. At this point, the tree would have been nearly 300 years of age.
It isn't known what exactly killed the old fella, though it did outlast and outcompete many of its siblings.
Typically, a burr oak will live anywhere from 200 to 300+ years, given no disease, fire, or human interference occurs. They grow slowly, at less than 12 inches per year.
This amazing old tree saw several pivotal points in Indiana's journey to become what it is today.
It survived prehistory and Native tribes until 1670. It then survived French rule until 1763, British rule until 1783, becoming a U.S. territory in 1783, and then statehood in 1816. If this tree could speak, can you imagine the stories this old burr oak could have told? The things it saw during its life? It's amazing to think about, especially considering that we as human beings live only a fraction as long.
So, what’s the oldest living tree in Indiana today? That title goes to a Chinkapin oak tree in Indianapolis, found at the intersection of Temple and Brookside Avenues. It is thought to be no younger than 272 years old, give or take about 50 years. It is thought to have germinated sometime in 1750 – so when our previous oldest tree was already about 239 years old!
Need more of the natural world in Indiana? We got you covered – check out this epic natural wonders road trip in Indiana for the ultimate adventure!
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