What Is the Charter Oak Monument?
This cylindrical granite monument, designed by Charles Platt in 1906, marks the site of Connecticut’s historic Charter Oak!
What Makes It Historical?
For a thousand years, a huge, white oak stood at this site, known as the Peace Tree by the Suckiauke then the Charter Oak by the colonists of Connecticut! The name on today’s monument and the state quarter came about in 1687 when King James II demanded the leaders of Connecticut colony to give up their Royal Charter! This document, issued by his predecessor, Charles II, had given the colonists some degree of autonomy, and they were not about to give it up!
During an argument with the agents of Sir Edmund Andros, the lights went out, and the Charter, which had been on the table, was gone! It’s believed that Captain Joseph Wadsworth made the caper, hiding the Charter in a hollow space inside the Peace Tree! Today, the Charter is still on display at the Museum of Connecticut History, framed by wood from the Charter Oak, which toppled in a hurricane on August 21, 1856. Today, its acorn descendants still grow in Bushnell Park and across Connecticut!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Become a member of the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut!
- Donate to the Connecticut Heritage Foundation!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
SE corner of Charter Oak Ave and Charter Oak Place
Hartford, CT 06106
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
Whenever the mood strikes you!