THE JUNIPERO OAK 



By Allen Henry Wright 



THERE have been many famous 

 trees in history, which have 

 become as shrines to many 

 enthusiasts. Thus we have the 

 trees which are associated with the 

 names of George Washington, William 

 Penn and others. Overlooking 

 the ancient city of Smyrna, on 

 Mt. Pagus, there stands a tall 

 cypress-tree which is said to 

 mark the spot where Poly carp, 

 one of the early Christian 

 fathers, was burned at the 

 stake in the year A. D. 168. 



In the old city of Monterey, 

 California, which is replete with 

 buildings and things of histor- 

 ical interest, there is to be found, 

 in the rear of the San Carlos 

 Mission, all that remains of an 

 ancient oak. An inscription on 

 a stone at the base reads : ' ' The 

 Junipero Oak. At Monterey 

 June 3rd, 1770, the ceremony of 

 taking possession of California 

 for Spain was enacted by Father 

 Junipero Serra under the shade 

 of this tree. Placed here for 

 preservation bv R. M. Mestres 

 and H. A. Greene, 1905." 



Padre Junipero Serra was 

 the leader of the Franciscans 

 who estab'ished and maintained 

 the chain of Missions along the 

 Pacific coast, starting with the 

 Mission of San Diego de Alcala, 

 near the present city of San 

 Diego, California, in 1769. 



At San Diego there still stand some 

 of the palms and olive trees which 

 were planted by the padres. Beautiful 

 pepper trees are also features of 

 the landscape which date back to 

 their time. 



Phclo by A . H Wrigh! 



The Junipero Oak at Monterey, Cal. 



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