Heart O'Texas Oak

Historical Period: 20th Century (1900 & Later)
Historical Topic: Odds & Ends
Species: Texas Live Oak (Quercus fusiformis)
County: McCulloch
Public Access: Yes

This live oak tree near the town of Mercury has attracted attention because it is located at the exact geographical center of the State of Texas. This location was determined by a U.S. Geodetic Survey the results of which were published in 1922.

Known widely as the Heart O’Texas Oak, it stands at a point whose coordinates divide the second largest state in the Union into four equal areas. The tree is 437 miles from the state’s most westerly point on the Rio Grande above El Paso; 412 miles from the most northerly point in the northwest corner of the Panhandle near Texline; 401 miles from the most southerly point on the Rio Grande below Brownsville; and 341 miles from the most easterly point on the Sabine River near Burkeville. The maximum straight-line distance between borders is 801 miles from north to south and 773 miles from east to west.

The Heart O’Texas Oak is located on Ranch Road 1028 near the town of Mercury. Please respect private property by viewing the tree from the road ROW. Do not trespass across the fence.