Promoting interest in the history of Tulare County and preserving the heritage of our area for future generations~

Charter Oak Plaque Reported Missing

June 12, 2009, a plaque commemorating a piece of Tulare County's earliest official history was missing from its roadside site east of Visalia. The Charter Oak plaque, north of Kaweah Oaks Preserve off Charter Oak Drive near Venice Hill, memorialized the polling site of the county's first election in July 1852, three months after the county's founding. It also recognized the small town of Woodsville located a half mile to the south, which acted as the county's first seat.

According to Kevin Caskey, past president of the Society, "It was the key marker of all historical markers in Tulare County. The tree has been gone for decades, but the granite and bronze landmark has stood in its place unscathed since 1949." 

The marker is a State Registered Landmark #410, one of Tulare County's few state landmarks. The 2-foot bronze plaque was installed 60 years ago, affixed to a 4-foot granite block. It actually replaced a wooden sign attached in 1905 to the original Charter Oak or Election Tree that stood near the election polling site.

Two Suspects Arrested

The first suspect, Christopher Rivas, 38, of Ivanhoe, was arrested by Tulare County Sheriff's detectives Tuesday June 16th at his home.

On Wednesday June 17th, detectives arrested a second suspect, Kevin Moore, 46, of Ivanhoe.

The 60-year-old Charter Oak plaque was discovered missing from it roadside site off Charter Oak Drive near Venice Hill last week. The marker memorialized the polling site for the county’s first election, in 1852, and the site of the first county seat.

Tulare County Sheriff's detectives looking into the theft discovered the brass plaque had been cut into pieces and redeemed for a reported $120 in cash at a local recycling center.

President Delora Buckman: "We will definitely replace it"

This 1952 photo was taken at the Charter Oak Tree, or as it is otherwise known 'Election Tree' with Tulare County historians (left to right) Annie Mitchell, Joe Doctor, A.D. Sweet and W.W. Sunkel standing next to the marker. The Election Tree Landmark was placed 7/10/1949. Refer to Los Tulares issue #44.

The Society

In 1922, a group of people interested in the historical preservation of the original Tulare County organized Tulare County Historical Society. Much of the credit for that project must be attributed to Miss Gretchen Flower, a long time Tulare County Librarian at that time, and to George W. Stewart, who was known as the "Father of Sequoia National Park." For a time the Society prospered, but interest and membership gradually declined.

The Society was revived in 1943 and the group then identified three general goals. 1) Preservation of the past of original Tulare County 2) Construction of a museum, and 3) Observation of the Centennials of both Tulare County and Visalia. Adolph Sweet was elected the first President of the Tulare County Historical Society in October 1944. Several hundred people from all parts of the county attended the meeting in the old Visalia City Auditorium.

Today, the Society has accomplished its original goals set forth in 1943. We continue promoting interest in the history of Tulare County and preserving the heritage of our area for future generations!

Tulare County is located in

California's San Joaquin Valley

Alpaugh - Badger - California Hot Springs - Camp Nelson - Corcoran - Cutler - Dinuba - Ducor - Earlimart - Exeter - Farmersville - Goshen - Ivanhoe - Kaweah - Lemon Cove - Lindsay - Miramonte - Orosi - Pixley - Porterville - Posey - Richgrove - Springville - Strathmore - Sultana - Terra Bella - Three Rivers - Tipton - Traver - Tulare - Visalia - Waukena - Woodlake - Yettem