HistoricSiteMarkers
Progressive & Modern Era

Black Cherry Tree

Hooks, Bowie County, Texas

Marker Inscription

In early days, source of lumber and shingles. Bark had medicinal use. This was judged the largest black cherry tree in Texas in 1965. (1969)

Erected by Texas Historical Commission

The Story

This towering black cherry once stood as the largest of its kind in Texas, so recognized in 1965. In the region's early days such trees were prized for their fine lumber and shingles, and settlers turned the bark to medicinal use. The marker honors a natural landmark that served the practical needs of an earlier frontier community.

Why it matters

Notable trees like this one remind us how deeply early Americans depended on the forest for building materials and folk medicine long before manufactured goods reached the countryside.

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