On the beachfront in Long Beach MS, overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, is a magnificent live oak tree 500+ years old. The tree is loved by many and held in fond memory by those whose wedding ceremonies were held on the platform within its mighty branches. Â This beautiful oak draws many tourists daily.
The historic Friendship Oak survived Hurricane Katrina in 2005, another in a long string of hurricanes that have challenged yet never defeated this live oak tree. 
It’s current measurements show a 59-foot height; diameter of the trunk is 5 feet 9 inches; circumference of the trunk is 19 feet 9 1/2 inches; spread of foliage is 155 feet. The average length of the main lateral limbs is 60-66 feet from the trunk; average circumference of the limbs at the trunk is 7 1/2 feet; the tree forms almost 16,000 feet of shelter; and laterial roots go out 150 feet. The Friendship Oak was registered with the Live Oak Society in 1940. At that time, the tree’s trunk circumference was 14 feet (4.3 m).
“I am called the Friendship Oak. Those who enter my shadow will remain friends through all their lifetime.”
