Views of  North America
No 21 The Angel Oak, Charlston, South Carolina
by Darlene & Lani 

What mysteries within you, mighty oak tree
If you could only speak to me
You could tell me of lovers,
Meeting here for romance,
And of men who were sentenced
To hang from your branch...

In a humid public garden in Charlston, a garden that was once part of a cotton plantation of the Old South, stands one of the United States' most celebrated trees. Charlston itself is one of the most beautifully preserved and culturally rich of American cities: founded in 1670, it opened the Colonies' first public library in 1683, a free school in 1710, and newspapers from the 1730s.

The prosperous, cosmopolitan city also has a significant history in music: the Colonies' first symphony orchestra was formed here in the 1700s, sponsored by the St Cecilia Society of Charleston, and the first American opera performances took place here. More popularly, the eponymous, frenetic dance of the Jazz Age was created in a black night club in the city.

The Angel Oak - the name comes from Justis Angel, who married a descendant of the original plantation family - is estimated to be more than 1,400 years old. It was a growing tree when the Anglo-Saxons invaded Britain, and displaced the Ancient Britons. Its gnarled and knotted trunk and branches have witnessed a great deal of suffering, and it is the haunted atmosphere of mystery and melancholy, as well as the sheer size of the tree, which attracts thousands of visitors every year.

Darlene and Lani's photograph captures the tree's dark, bewitched aura, even on a hot summer's day, very effectively.

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