Tree That Owns Itself

One of Athens' most unique landmarks, this white oak tree sits at the corner of South Finley and Dearing Streets. According to local lore, the original tree was granted ownership of itself and the land within eight feet of it by Professor William H. Jackson in the 1820s. The original tree fell in 1942, but the current tree, grown from one of its acorns, is known as the "Son of the Tree That Owns Itself" and continues this quirky legal tradition.