Century Tree

Historical Period: 20th Century (1900 & Later)

Species: Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)

Public Access: Yes, the Century Tree can be found on the Texas A&M University campus between the Academic Building and Bolton Hall.

“Walk under the boughs of the Century Tree with a lover and you will be together forever”—so goes the tradition at Texas A&M University. Many an Aggie avoids the area, while others stop at every chance. Many of the live oak’s drooping branches rest on the ground, providing ample shade for young co-eds to linger, with hope for the future.

The Century Tree, likely planted around the turn of the twentieth century, has been the site of numerous marriage proposals, weddin

section of several campus paths, it is considered a symbol of strength and loyalty on a campus known for its rich heritage.

Traditions abound at Texas A&M, the first public institution of higher education in Texas as well as one of the nation’s earliest land-grant colleges. From Silver Taps and Aggie Muster that honor deceased students, to the Twelfth Man( the aggie who stands ready for service), “there’s a Spirit can ne’er be told” in Aggieland.

As the college has grown from just forty students to over fifty thousand, the land has been transformed. No longer the bald prairie of 1876, Texas A&M University is now a lush campus of 5,500 acres. Colleges grow, people grow, and trees grow. The Century tree, once a sapling and now a majestic icon, symbolizes the enduring bonds of the university as well as those forged under the boughs of the tree.