Thursday, October 1, 2026
A storied oak tree near Olympia Regional Airport took a hit when a large branch broke off and fell to the ground during a windstorm on Friday, Sept. 25.
The branch failure occurred on the southwest portion of the Davis Meeker Garry oak tree. It was not clear at what time of the day the failure occurred, but National Weather Service Office in Seattle data showed wind gusts in excess of 40 miles per hour in early to mid-afternoon on Friday. No one was injured in the incident.
The 66-inch diameter oak tree, which is listed on the Tumwater Register of Historic Places, is believed to be approximately 400 years old and a trail marker for the historic Cowlitz Trail.
The portion of the tree that failed had previously been identified for load reduction pruning. A tree risk assessment done for the City of Tumwater by Tood Prager & Associates LLC, and released in February 2025, identified the southwest portion of the tree as at risk of failure.
“The portion of the tree that failed was specified for ‘load reduction pruning’ to mitigate failures such as this,” said Jesse Brighten, who is an International Society of Arboriculture certified master arborist, in a statement provided by the Save the Davis Meeker Gary Oak group.
“Rick Till’s recommendations in the February 2025 Prager arborist report detailed pruning methods intended to increase structural stability at large unions, such as the one that broke during today’s (Friday’s) unusually high winds.”
Brighten also said any tree can fail when loading exceeds wood strength.
“Hopefully, the recommended pruning can now be done in a timely manner because nearby portions of the tree have suddenly been exposed to new wind loads,” he said.
The incident marks the second time in the last three-plus years a large branch has broken off the tree. In spring 2023, an 18-inch diameter branch fell from the tree from about 43 feet above, and then landed along and within Old Highway 99.
The tree has also been subject of considerable debate about its safety with former Tumwater Mayor Debbie Sullivan wanting to remove the tree because of safety concerns.
The plan sparked a lawsuit from Davis Meeker Garry Oak group in May 2024 that led to a temporary restraining order being issued by Thurston County Superior Court Judge Anne Egeler to block the planned removal of the tree.
When Egeler moved to dissolve the temporary restraining order, Davis Meeker Garry Oak group turned to the Washington State Court of Appeals. The court of appeals later granted a stay on the temporary restraining order.
Then, on Dec. 26, 2025, Egeler issued a permanent injunction barring the City of Tumwater from altering or destroying the oak tree without the approval of the Tumwater Historic Preservation Committee.
The lawsuit eventually ran its course in July 2026 when Egeler entered an order that calls for state approval before the oak tree can be altered or destroyed.
Egeler declared the city may not alter or destroy the tree without approval from the Washington State Department of Archeological and Historic Preservation.
Staff writer Jerome Tuaño contributed to this report.
12 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here
KatAshe
I can’t believe that there isn’t a way to propagate the David Meeker from seed or cuttings. Yes it will take a number of years to grow from this genetic stock, but it would be worthwhile.
3 days ago Report this
JulesJames
I'd love to see a 10 foot diameter wooden wagon wheel atop a 24 foot high pedestal. Both made from the oak of this tree. Moved away from the roadway a safe distance. OR maybe one pedestal and wagon wheel on each side of the road? The dimensions are twice the size of a typical prairie schooner that would have passed this point between June 1846 and December 1873. The Oregon Treaty granting the Puget Sound to the USA was ratified in 1846. The rail spur from Kalama connecting the Puget Sound to the transcontiental rail was opened in 1873. Sure a darned tootin' better than watching well-meaning preservationists prune this heritage tree into a glorified toothpick.
3 days ago Report this
Olyrkrgrrl
Can we just prune the tree now?! Like the arborists recommended...that would be good!
3 days ago Report this
MartyKenney
What a concept, oak trees prune themselves so they don’t have catastrophic failure! Good job Oak!
3 days ago Report this
Annierae
Size of the limb that failed? It looks huge from the road.
2 days ago Report this
Shushu
All this debate and legal expense and no one involved in all this able to follow instructions of arborist? Unbelievable!
2 days ago Report this
RondaLarsonKramer
Thank you for the article, JOLT. I might suggest that the photo of the branch with a hole in it could mislead people. The part connected to stem had no hole. A photo closer to the connection point would be appropriate to show readers the relevant part. You can find such a photo here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DgK6hA5tA/?mibextid=wwXIfr
2 days ago Report this
Daisylee
As much as folks would like to preserve this piece of history...nature has other ideas.
2 days ago Report this
RondaLarsonKramer
@Daisylee, That’s a little like saying there’s no point in exercising because we’re all going to die eventually. No one is claiming this tree will live forever. The point is to properly care for it so it can live safely for as long as possible—especially when arborists had already recommended pruning to reduce the load on the very portion of the tree that failed.
2 days ago Report this
Boatyarddog
Truth is It's been losing branches naturally for A centuries. ITS A PROTECTED TREE NOW! GET over it Tree Cutters. AND. >Well said. @ MartyKenney
2 days ago Report this
TheGreatAnon
If this tree didn't present such a tangible threat to life & limb I'd say let nature take its course. But it does. Drop the dang thing before it maims or kills someone. Take pictures, document its history then drop it then turn the wood into some nice furniture or maybe a sculpture or two.
Trees grow back, maybe not in a tree hugger's lifespan, but they always do.
Yesterday at 2:44 AM Report this
MartyKenney
That's a really good point Ronda thanks for sharing. Maybe it could be said that this oak tree just shed a limb that had a hole in it but where it's actually connected to the tree is perfectly healthy and it just got rid of a diseased limb the way that a healthy tree does.
Yesterday at 9:45 PM Report this