Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The ‘Old Secretariat’ government building in New Delhi.
The 'Old Secretariat'
This set is inspired by a Roman arena.
Bozdağ Film Platolari
The Sea Water Distilling Plant.
Sea Water Distilling Plant
Contemplative paths.
Ayo Rock Formations
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Wortley built the wooden backpack she used while retracing Alexandra David-Néel’s journey from a chair she found on the street in London.
How Elise Wortley Climbed Mont Blanc in 1830s Women’s Attire
about 1 month ago
Simplicity is key: Just a slice of bread with a sprinkling of salt and pepper is the perfect accompaniment.
The Sweet Second Life of Creole Cream Cheese
about 1 month ago
My rendition of frog legs, popping mushroom curry, pad prik khing with salted egg yolk, and sweet khanom thuai.
Recreating My Favorite Meal From Thailand
about 1 month ago
Inside London’s Gorgeously Curated ‘Art Restaurants’
about 1 month ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Maryland Arbutus The Arbutus Oak
The Arbutus Oak is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

The Arbutus Oak

The 320-year-old tree that greeted General Lafayette and rerouted an interstate highway.

Arbutus, Maryland

Added By
chris blanchard
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The 300-year-old tree.   Atlas Obscura user Chris Blanchard
The 300-year-old tree.   Atlas Obscura user Chris Blanchard
Arbutus oak close up.   chrisblanchard98 / Atlas Obscura User
It lost some of its height and symmetry after a lighting strike.   chrisblanchard98 / Atlas Obscura User
Map of tree location inside the ramp from 695 east to 95 north   OpenStreetMap contributors
The tree in 2009, a few years after the lighting, showing the damage - it’s recovered some in recent years   BaltimoreAndOhioRR
The tree is maintained by the Arbutus Community Association   BaltimoreAndOhioRR
Photo taken on 3.30.20 - fallen since Summer 2019   manoor44 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

If you’re traveling south from Baltimore on I-95, glance to your right as you cross the I-695 Beltway and you’ll see the huge canopy of a white oak tree, standing nearly 70 feet tall and dwarfing its neighbors. This is the Arbutus Oak, a sentinel on this patch of land for well over 300 years.

The old oak, named for the nearby community of Arbutus, was just a little acorn’s sapling at the end of the 17th century, and it marks the spot where (as the story goes) General Lafayette and his troops passed by in 1781 on their way to battle the British at Elkton during the American Revolution.

It’s a lonesome giant, one that sparks the imagination, and if you catch it in just the right light, backlit by the setting sun on a late spring evening, it dances like a painting. It’s made it through three centuries, but its survival hasn’t always been guaranteed. By the 1950s, although the tree had stood on what was private property since the late 1600s, that land came under the ownership of the U.S. Highway Department. Today, the historic tree is trapped by ribbons of highway concrete, in the middle of one of the busiest interchanges along the I-95 corridor.

As the route for the new I-95 was being excavated, construction workers found a treasure trove of Native American artifacts around the tree. Like other large oaks in North America, it was thought that this one may have served as a gathering place for early native peoples, and a decision was made to realign the ramp from the outer loop of the Beltway to I-95, in order to save the tree.

The tree was spared, but more trouble did strike in 2002 when a bolt of lightning took away some of its height and a good deal of its crown. Luckily the magnificent Arbutus Oak made it through, to keep on going into another century.

Update as of September 2019: The oak tree has fallen and plans are underway about how to best honor the tree. 

Related Tags

Trees History Roads American Revolution Plants Military

Know Before You Go

To see the tree in passing, get a friend to drive you and take I-95 south. About 5 miles past Baltimore, just past exit 49 and the bridge over I-695, the tree will be on your right, a few yards beyond the guardrail.Or, from I-695, head east and take exit 11A (the ramp to I-95 north) and the tree is on your left. From either direction there is no easy way to get there other than pulling over on the shoulder. But these are busy interstates, so caution is recommended.If you are interested in a helpful visit to do some tree maintenance, you can try reaching out to the Arbutus Community Association (410-247-0597), which adopted the tree and organizes yearly upkeep of the grounds.

Community Contributors

Added By

chrisblanchard98

Edited By

AF, jongrantham, Edward Denny, manoor44

  • AF
  • jongrantham
  • Edward Denny
  • manoor44

Published

January 19, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://patch.com/maryland/arbutus/historic-arbutus-oak-is-hidden-in-plain-sight
  • http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2002-04-20/news/0204200282_1_arbutus-tree-oak
  • The Arbutus Oak has fallen
The Arbutus Oak
I-95 southbound
at the I-695
Arbutus, Maryland
United States
39.250823, -76.682265
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Maryland's 3rd Congressional District

Halethorpe, Maryland

miles away

Babe Ruth Field at Gibbons Commons

Baltimore, Maryland

miles away

Urology Museum

Linthicum Heights, Maryland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Maryland

Maryland

United States

Places 239
Stories 15

Nearby Places

Maryland's 3rd Congressional District

Halethorpe, Maryland

miles away

Babe Ruth Field at Gibbons Commons

Baltimore, Maryland

miles away

Urology Museum

Linthicum Heights, Maryland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Maryland

Maryland

United States

Places 239
Stories 15

Related Places

  • Ornamental Pond

    Nottingham, England

    The Arboretum

    This unchanged Victorian park is rumored to have been the inspiration behind Peter Pan's Neverland.

  • Corporal Chas Ippel on the right, died on July 26, 1863.

    Arlington, Virginia

    Headstone-Eating Trees

    The rogue roots are gradually consuming some of the historic marble grave markers.

  • An open glen is home to the trees that represent the native state alliance

    San Francisco, California

    Arch of Colonial Trees

    Thirteen trees representing the original thirteen colonies were planted with soil from historic Revolutionary battlefields.

  • The Much Marcle Yew Tree

    Much Marcle, England

    Much Marcle Ancient Yew

    One of the oldest and most majestic living trees in Britain, thought to be over 1,500 years old.

  • London, England

    Cheapside Plane Tree

    What might be the oldest living tree in London has survived fires, bombings, and estate agents.

  • Weare, New Hampshire

    Site of the Pine Tree Riot

    One of the earliest—and most commonly forgotten—acts of rebellion against English rule.

  • From NW

    Athens, Greece

    The Olive Tree of the Acropolis

    Legend says this sacred tree was a gift from goddess Athena.

  • 40 trees line the avenue, and you have to drive around them

    Larkspur, California

    Dolliver Park

    At night, a grove of towering redwood trees growing through the pavement block out all light from the so-called “Dark Park” of Madrone Avenue.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.