South Carolina - Angel Oak

Angel Oak is named after Justus and Martha Angel, former owners of the land on which it grows. It's a Southern live oak on Johns Island, not far from where Gayle and Tom live. 

It's about 66 feet tall, 28 feet in circumference, and the branches shade 17,200 square feet. The longest branch is 187 feet. The tree is estimated to be 400-500 years old. 

It's truly awesome to be in the presence of this tree

It was interesting to examine the bark with its twists and turns

It looked like elephant skin

 above - If you look just right you can see an elephant eye & trunk

Live oak was prized for ship building because of the interlocked grain and strength of the wood. The USS Constitution was built in Boston  in 1797. It was named "Old Ironsides" because of the strength of its live oak hull. The twisted branches of live oaks provided natural knees for boats. These knees strengthened ships' hulls. 

Read more here and here