Short Stories - The Old Oak Tree & Conclusion

About 50 years ago, an iconic landmark was destroyed, The Pearl Bay Oak Tree in South Carolina. This tree was predicted to be somewhere between 600 and 700 years old. Oaks were not found in that part of the state. The story went that an Indian planted this tree with some seeds he brought from the north.

The tree was in the middle of a clearing in the woods next to a ridge overlooking the bay. All the town picnics and celebrations were held in this clearing. The land was owned by J.D. Russel.

The fate of this tree was inevitable when J.D. Russel passed away and his son Frank Russel inherited his father’s fortune. Frank was a greedy man. He used every means necessary to make more money.

For years, the wealthy from New England tried to buy this property, but to no avail. Frank decided to auction off the land to the highest bidder. The winner of the auction was one of the biggest real estate tycoons in New York. When the tycoon came down to look over his newly acquired land, he noticed the oak tree that was abstracting the beautiful view of the bay. He ordered the tree to be removed.

When the townspeople got the word, they protested this action. They wrote letters, drew petitions, and even tried bribing. Since nothing seemed to work, they decided to transplant the old oak. When they came to move the tree, it was too late. A group of men were nearly finished sawing the tree. Moments later, the tree plunged into the bay. The townspeople watched with horror as their beloved landmark fall to the depths of the sea.

Several years later, the tycoon got an unexpected surprise. As I said before that old tree was dated to be somewhere between 600 and 700 years old, and of course a tree that old would have a very complex root system. Also remember that it grew on the coast, so the soil is really moist. When the tycoon was in town on business, his property and house fell into the ocean. They say the moist soil and the dead, decaying roots played an important role in the landslide.

I learned about this story when I was passing through North Carolina. I even went out to the site of this landslide to see it for myself. Some of the roots are still sticking out of the ground and you can see some of the foundations of the house. But whatever happened to Frank? I asked a passerby in town that question and got my answer. After the slide, the tycoon sued Mr. Russel for selling him the land. Frank lost everything and went into bankruptcy. Greed always has a heavy price.

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Conclusion

These days, it feels like everybody is in too much of a hurry. You can get places in just days by train instead of weeks by horse. Using a telegraph, you can talk to people on the other side of the state instantly. Last summer, I took my first train trip to San Francisco, California. Yes, it was comfortable and the food was good, but it could never beat sleeping under the stars and frying up beans under an open fire.

San Francisco is another story. People these days have no idea what truly living means. Appointments, deadlines, and schedules practically run the city.

I got in an interesting conversation with a lad on the street while his mother was in a store shopping. When I asked him if he had ever gone camping or exploring in the woods, he told me he had never been outside the city limits. In fact, he had never seen a deer, opossum, raccoon, or any other non-domestic animal.

Is this what society had come to? Boys and girls living in the city like hermits? Are they to live out their lives in this box they call “civilization?” These stories I have written all have one thing in common. They are all about the great outdoors. Since the time man was created, people have been exploring and discovering new things. Why learn about rocks, trees, and animals in a schoolhouse when you can go out and see for yourself? There are acres and acres of land in this great country that had never once been trodden with human feet. There’s history to be rediscovered and mysteries to be solved. My only prayer is that I can share my stories with the citizens of this great county of how this country has been blessed and is continuing to bless each and every one of us.

Thanks so much for reading! This is the last story in the series! If you like what you have read, please send some love by dropping a tip and share with your friends! Be sure to follow me on Instagram @realandrewhoover for more awesomeness! Also, check out my website at ashoover.com. You can also purchase the image as well as the other images on my website.