Historical Period: Republic of Texas (1836-1845)
Historical Topic: Border Wars, Republic of Texas
Species: Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)
County: Aransas
Public Access: Yes, the Zachary Taylor Oak is located on the southeast corner of Pearl and Bay Streets, in Rockport.
A plaque near this stately live oak in Rockport is all that reveals its early connection to Gen. Zachary Taylor and the annexation of Texas.
Today, the tree rests peacefully within a quiet city park. But in July 1845 peace was elusive. General Taylor was under orders by United States President James K. Polk to secure the border region of Texas as a newly annexed state. Border disputes between Texas and Mexico were raging, and annexation was likely to spark a new war with Mexico.
Historians believe Taylor and a handful of his soldiers camped beneath this live oak during forages to the mainland for supplies. They are said to have raised the first American flag on Texas soil on St. Joseph Island (now San Jose), and subsequently established the Corpus Christi encampment in August of 1845. In 1848, Taylor would become the 12th president of the United States.