This magnificent White Oak stands in the DeFriece City Park in Bristol and was living in 1814 when James King bought the property from Evan Shelby (major in the Kings Mountain Battle of 1780).  The Rev. James King developed the land as a plantation and left many of the tree groves as shady areas to have picnics for his slaves and his family through the years.  Even long after all his slaves were freed and the Rev. King had died (1867), the family continued to use the groves for their picnics. During the Civil War a company of Federal soldiers camped under the King Oak for several days and lived from the produce (including livestock) of the plantation.

Many of the original trees were felled during the 1870’s to make room for the development of Bristol, the lumber being used to build many of the old homes in the town, including King College nearby.  Some of the wood was also used for Simon’s Carriage and Wagon works, which also stood nearby.  However, the land around the King Oak was spared and was donated to the city to be used as a park by Mr.& Mrs. Frank DeFriece.The King Oak of Bristol represents the early settlement of Upper East TN from the 1770’s through the Civil War, and including the early development of Bristol.  Nominated by Lonnie Blevins and Mike Johnson.

Entered into the Landmark & Historic Tree Register in 2005 as a Historic Tree