Treaty Oak at Jessie Ball duPont Park 1123 Prudential Drive

The Treaty Oak stands majestically at Jessie Ball duPont Park, only five minutes from the heart of downtown Jacksonville.  At only seven acres, this is the smallest of our nature parks, but the spreading grandeur of this single specimen of Quercus virginiana or live oak warrants such a designation.  The small park contains paved walkpaths, benches, and informational plaques.  The Treaty Oak is a favorite noontime refuge for office workers on the south side of the St. Johns River, and its noble branches have provided countless hours of play for generations of young people.

The land was purchased by the duPont family in the 1930s and given to the city in 1964 with the stipulation that it would always be a park.  Although local lore places a treaty signing between Native Americans and European settlers under the spreading branches, it is unlikely such an event occurred. The stately Treaty Oak is approximately 180 years old, has a circumference of 25 feet, and reaches more than 70 feet into the blue Florida sky.  In 1986 the Jacksonville Electric Authority implemented an important preservation program which grows seedlings from Treaty Oak acorns and makes them available through Greenscape for replanting throughout Jacksonville.  Since the program began, hundreds of seedlings have been transplanted, ensuring the legacy of this regal Jacksonville landmark. Park hours:  5 a.m. - 10 p.m. Map It