Tree Information

Common Name: chinkapin oak

Scientific Name: Quercus muehlenbergii

Native/Naturalized: Native to Virginia

Database ID: 176

Status: alive

National Champion: yes

Virginia Champion: yes

Circumference: 287 in.

Height: 66 ft.

Crown: 113 ft.

Points: 381

Date Last Measured: 2018

Last Measured by: Eric Wiseman

Date First Measured: 1990

Comments: Declared national champion in 2019. In 2020, it was national co-champion with a tree in Ohio. Edward Strickler, Sr. (1917-2014) was very proud of the tree. There is a commemoration plaque at the tree erected on Mr. Strickler's 96th birthday in 2013. The tree is in very good health and appears structurally stable. It gets quite a bit of foot traffic around its base due to the interest of visitors. Hopefully it can tolerate this love. Also, a sycamore located to the northwest is starting to encroach on its crown. Would be nice to see some crown reduction pruning performed on the sycamore to minimize its competition.

The tree was a challenge to measure given its location on a steep slope and inaccessibility of the crown over the river. To measure the trunk, a mid-slope position was established on its northeast side. There it was measured at 4.5' above the ground line, just above a large burl. The crown was measured using a missing line routine whereby the distance and direction

Eric Wiseman Jul-18

Location of Tree

Tree is located in: Rockingham

State Map


Land Owner: Edward L. Strickler Jr.

GPS Coordinates: 38.38055, -78.67174

Owner Email: edwardnvirginia@hotmail.com

Directions: It is located off of Route 33E at Massanutten. If you are going East on 33, make a right onto Mt. Olivet Church Road at the intersection of 33 and Mt. Olivet Ch. Road. (You would make a left if you were going to Massanutten). Go 2 miles and the Road ends. Take a left onto Waterloo Mill Lane and go about 500 ft. The tree is on the right of the road on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River.

Owner Address: 104 Russell's Way

Farmville, VA 23901

Owner Phone: 434-953-5339


Contact Information

Contact Name: Edward Strickler

Contact Email: edwardnvirginia@hotmail.com

Contact Phone: 434-953-5339


Nominators

Original Nominator(s): Thomas S. Holland


Additional Information

I.D. Fact Sheet

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