Grove of “Spanish Oaks”

Lebanon Road & Starwood Drive, inside Starwood Community

In the late 1800’s this beautiful grove of trees, known locally as “Spanish Oaks,” was a campsite and recreation area for Shawnee Trail cattle drovers as well as families of farmers and ranchers who settled here. This tree-shaded area along the creek bed has been the playground for many children through the years as the land surrounding the trees is some of the rockiest in the area and not suitable for the barefooted children of yesteryear. Although it was not good cropland, cattle and sheep thrived. The creek had a number of good springs and provided water even in the driest of years. Many head of livestock have bedded down under the shade of these great trees.

Several families have owned this land and all have told stories of the camping, hunting and fishing they did in and around the tree grove. The giant acorns the size of golf balls became ammo for sling shots and the creek always seemed to have crawdads. No doubt, these trees have stories to tell maybe even about Indians on horseback. Hopefully the oaks will be here for generations to come.

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