This massive tree, which serves as a campus landmark, a favorite meeting location, and a reminder of the school’s history, is purported to be more than 100 years old. It is believed that this tree was a sapling on the land that Thomas Clemson IV included in his 1883 will that would become the Clemson campus.

The tree was named the Centennial Bur Oak when Clemson celebrated 100 years of existence in 1989. It is the largest bur oak in South Carolina and has been carefully protected as the campus grew. The tree has been cited in the 2009 University Preservation Master Plan and a the book, The Nature of Clemson: A Field Guide to the Natural History of Clemson University.