Live Oak Society Records

Collection 56

Live Oak Society. Records, 1929–2001, n.d.

5 inches

The Live Oak Society was founded in 1935 by Dr. Edwin Lewis Stephens, Louisiana scholar, educator, and president of Southwestern Louisiana Institute. The society was intended to promote the culture, distribution and appreciation of the live oak tree. Membership in the Society was limited to individual live oaks known or suspected to be more than one hundred years old. Live oaks under one hundred years old were eligible for membership in the Junior League. Each member had an “attorney”, usually its owner, and the “attorney” paid the annual dues—twenty-five acorns. The president of the Society was the largest member. Initially this was the Locke Breaux Oak near Hahnville, LA. It was estimated to be over 500 years old. The society stopped functioning in 1938 after the death of Dr. Stephens. Meigs O. Frost publicized the Society’s revival in a Times-Picayune Sunday magazine article on 21 January 1945. Stanley C. Arthur, director of the Louisiana State Museum, took over leadership of the Society. He recorded 119 oak trees with their names, location, measurements and sponsors as members. Membership is currently maintained by the Louisiana Garden Society.

This collection contains clippings, letters, photographs, notes, artifacts, registration book, bulletins, maps and organizational records.

The bulk of the collection was donated by Miss Willie Wynn White, daughter of the late H. H. White of Alexandria, Louisiana.

See also:Collection 297- Margaret Stephens Jochem Papers for more Live Oak Society materials

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