retaining wall and ornamental chain barrier that surround the tree. Although alongside private homes in a residential neighborhood, the Tree That Owns Itself is "open" to the public, and regularly attracts visitors. Although the story of the Tree That Owns Itself is more legend than history, the tree has become (along with the University Arch and the Double-Barreled Cannon) one of the most recognized and well-loved symbols of Athens. It is routinely featured in travel guides and other visitor information and has even garnered international recognition through such publications as Ripley's Believe It or Not!, where it has been featured on several occasions. Tablets The site of the tree contains two stone tablets. The first is heavily weathered and has suffered the loss of one corner, while the second appears to be considerably newer. Both tablets paraphrase the same portion of William H. Jackson's supposed deed to the tree, with slight alterations made to transform the legalistic language into a first-person declaration of affection: A small brass plaque, about the size of a playing card, is attached to the lower-left corner of the face of the more weathered of the two tablets. It reads: In addition to the stone tablets, a larger brass plaque is affixed to the concrete retaining wall that surrounds the tree. The plaque reads: The entire Dearing Street Historic District (of which the tree is a "resident") was added to the National Register in 1975. The District incorporates an area very roughly bounded by Broad, Finley, Waddell, and Church Streets, and was recognized for its architectural significance. The tree was locally designated a historic landmark on February 2, 1988. Similar trees There is another tree with almost identical legal rights in Eufaula, Alabama, United States. In a similar story, this oak tree was bestowed legal ownership to itself on April 9, 1936, with the inscription "Only God can make a tree". Similarly, the tree fell in a storm on April 9, 1961, and it was replaced with another tree in its place ten days later. See also List of individual trees Plant rights Notes References Further reading External links "I Am So Great" by Cecily Iddings, a poem referencing the Tree That Owns Itself 1940s individual tree deaths Tourist attractions in Athens, Georgia Individual oak trees Individual trees in Georgia (U.S. state) National Register of Historic Places in Clarke County, Georgia 1820s in Georgia (U.S. state)