NPS Photo September 27, 1780 The site of the Tory Oak is on the property of the Wilkes Heritage Museum, formerly the Wilkes County Court House. The oak stood behind the building and is believed to have been 300 years old when the last of its limbs fell in 1992, the same year it was designated an official OVNHT site. Colonel Benjamin Cleveland, who mustered Patriots for the campaign, used the tree as a gathering place throughout the struggle for independence. The tree gained its name for the multiple Tories who were hanged by Cleveland from its branches. An oak sapling was planted in its place but has since fallen due to storms. The Wilkes Heritage Museum features an exhibit on the Revolutionary War with a focus on the Overmountain Victory Trail. There is a statue of Benjamin Cleveland located behind the museum, as well as a trail that allows access to the Yadkin River Greenway on the opposite side of the river. Restrooms are available in the museum. The site of the Tory Oak is free to the public and open sunrise to sunset. The Wilkes Heritage Museum is open 10am-4pm Monday-Saturday, closed Sundays and all major holidays. There is a $6 fee to enter, 5 and under free. |
Last updated: August 17, 2019