Fort Monroe live oak, age 470 years, nominated as a 'remarkable' Virginia tree

By Associated Press

3:02 a.m. EST, February 9, 2011

HAMPTON, Va. (AP) — A live oak tree on the grounds of Fort Monroe that predates the founding of Jamestown has been nominated to Virginia's equivalent of the hall of fame for trees.

The Algernoune (al-jer-nuhn) Oak is estimated to date back to 1540, according to research conducted by R.J. Stipes, a professor of plant pathology and physiology at Virginia Tech.

Now the tree is being nominated as a "remarkable tree of Virginia." It already in featured in a book by the same name.

"Remarkable Trees" author Nancy Ross Hugo says the tree can compete with any in Virginia for "most history witnessed."

The tree's name is based on Old Point Comfort’s first fort, named for an English lord.