Located in the Southeast section of Bob Woodruff Park, Plano’s Bicentennial Bur Oak
tree is the largest, oldest tree in the City of Plano. Plano’s
Bicentennial Bur Oak tree is approximately 90 feet tall, 186 inches in
circumference and has a crown spread of 80 feet. The tree was
designated the Bicentennial tree in 1987 and was recognized as having lived here at the signing of the U.S. Constitution.
At that time, it was estimated to be 225 years old. In February 2002,
the tree was registered with the Dallas Historic Tree Coalition.
Bur Oak trees are generally found along stream bottoms and adjacent
slopes in North and East Central Texas. The wood is heavy, hard,
impermeable and durable, and the trees are very hardy, tolerating
drought and city pollution. The thick corky bark enables the bur oak
tree to withstand fire and other damage better than most oaks.
The section of Bob Woodruff Park where the tree is located, referred to
as bottomland, is historically subject to flooding; therefore no
private structures were ever built on the property. The soil is very
rich containing sediment brought in from other areas by heavy rains and
flooding.
The history of the area is also rich. Prior to the land becoming a city park, previous owners included the Dr. Daniel Rowlett 
Family,
Colonel Landon W. Oglesby, William T. Land Family, William D. Prince,
and the Claude C. Albritton Family. The Land family used the timber on
the property for their west Plano farm, but somehow the bur oak tree
was spared. The citizens of Plano celebrated the life of this
magnificent tree and recognized the history of the land surrounding it
at Plano’s 2002 Arbor Day Celebration, and the trees approximate 240 th
birthday.
For more detailed historical account of the Bicentennial Bur Oak, open the History pdf.