Historical Period: Frontier Texas (1865-1900)
Historical Topic: Ranching & Rustling
Species: Post Oak (Quercus stellata)
County: Young
Public Access: A state historical monument in the 400 block of Fourth Street, in Graham, marks the former location of the tree, which was destroyed by a windstorm in 1976.
On a cold, clear day in mid-February 1877, a sober, determined group of about 40 Texas ranchers filed out of a Graham hotel and continued down a rutted street to assemble around a lone post oak. A private discussion was necessary but unattainable in a small hotel room; hence, the outdoor convention. The meeting’s purpose was to organize war against a common enemy—cattle rustlers. From that first meeting under this oak tree, the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association developed into one of Texas agriculture’s largest organizations.