« back to GA: Clarke County
« »
Robert Toombs Oak..A majestic oak tree once stood on this spot and one of the University's most endearing legends also flourished here...Robert Toombs (1810-1885) was young, and boisterous when he was dismissed from Franklin College in 1828. Five decades later it was said that Toombs returned on the next commencement day after he was expelled and spoke so eloquently under the tree that the entire audience left the chapel to hear him. Later, it was said, that the tree was struck by lightning on the day Toombs died and never recovered. The tree finally collapsed in 1908 and the remains were cut into mementos that have since been handed down by alumni...Robert Toombs was a lawyer, planter and statesman. He served in the Georgia House 1837-1840, 1842-1845, in the U.S. Congress 1845-1853, the U.S. Senate from 1853 until he resigned in 1861. Toombs was Secretary of State of the Confederacy then a brigadier general in the C.S.A. He also played a major role in Georgia's Constitutional Convention of 1877...Marker erected at direction of General Assembly resolution approved March, 1985.. .Georgia Department of Natural Resources, 1987


GA-029-15 Robert Toombs Oak

Robert Toombs Oak..A majestic oak tree once stood on this spot and one of the University's most endearing legends also flourished here...Robert Toombs (1810-1885) was young, and boisterous when he was dismissed from Franklin College in 1828. Five decades later it was said that Toombs returned on the next commencement day after he was expelled and spoke so eloquently under the tree that the entire audience left the chapel to hear him. Later, it was said, that the tree was struck by lightning...
more »


Location: US 78 / Broad St, on University of GA campus, Athens, Clarke County Georgia United States of America
Copyright: © 2007 Jason O. Watson. All rights reserved.
Keywords:
  • travel
  • United States of America
  • United States
  • America
  • USA
  • US
  • Georgia
  • GA
  • history
  • historical
  • historic
  • historical marker
  • famous
  • landmark
  • road side
  • highway
  • popular
  • Place of Interest
  • Places of Interest
  • Tourist Attraction
  • Tourist Attractions
  • Tourist Destination
  • Tourist Destinations
  • Travel Destination
  • Travel Destinations
  • tour
  • tourism
  • tourist
  • attraction
  • destination
  • Sign
  • Signs
  • American
  • Day
  • Daytime
  • Historical Sites
  • Vertical
  • Education
  • Historical Site
  • Marker
  • Markers
  • Outdoor
  • Outdoors
  • Outside
  • Road
  • Road Signs
  • Roadside
  • Roadsign
  • Clarke County
  • Robert Toombs Oak
  • Robert Toombs
  • tree
  • oak tree
  • Franklin College
  • lawyer
  • planter
  • statesman
  • congressman
  • senator
  • Secretary of State
  • Confederacy
  • Constitutional Convention
  • University of Georgia
  • Athens

Only search this gallery