Bell County Charter Oak
Under this damaged live oak, now overlooking a power center, the first election was held in 1850 to organize the new Bell County
The old description mentions the Leon River, which I never saw. And private property, which I also knew nothing about until much later.
I believe I acted pretty respectfully. It seemed more or less public. When I drove up the gravel road using google coordinates, a bunch of softball players gathered near a backstop stared at my vehicle as I headed over near a power station thing — what are those called? —where I could see the oak from a distance.
Now within an electric cooperative enclosure, this tree can be viewed from Charter Oak Drive on the east bank of the Leon River, in Belton, TX.
The 2015 edition of the Famous Trees of Texas has updated location information not available on the FToT website.
Even though it can damage tree roots, people seem to desire a ring of concrete around an “official tree.”
It’s obvious from the pictures that a strong wind was blowing. This was a quick visit. I snapped photos and high-tailed it out of there.
