 The land around the tree continued to be developed . A highway connecting Logan to Williamson , was built parallel to the Trace Fork of Pigeon Creek , opposite the Mingo Oak . While the tree had long been known for its size , the unique status of the Mingo Oak was not recognized until 1931 , when John Keadle and Leonard Bradshaw of Williamson took measurements of the tree , and found it to be the largest living white oak in the world . Upon this finding by the two men , Cole and Crane Real Estate Trust and the Island Creek Coal Company agreed to make a joint deed conveying the property to the state of West Virginia . In late 1931 , Emmett Keadle of the West Virginia Oil and Grease Company wrote a letter to Governor William G. Conley informing him of the tree 's significance and the companies ' willingness to lease the land to the state . Governor Conley responded to Keadle and suggested the companies convey the property to the West Virginia Game , Fish , and Forestry Commission . 
