Royal Oak in Oakland County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
How Royal Oak Got Its Name
Photographed by Joel Seewald, March 5, 2023
1. How Royal Oak Got Its Name Marker
Long before the Royal Oak was known for its terrific food scene and nightlife, Territorial Governor Lewis Cass and his staff stopped for lunch beneath a mighty oak tree near what is presently the intersection of Main Street, Rochester Road and Crooks Road. A lively conversation would ensue that would lead to a history lesson and the bestowing of a name.
The year was 1819. Cass and his crew left Detroit on horseback to a rendezvous that would result in the Saginaw Treaty. On their way, they rested beneath the large oak. Cass entertained his staff by recounting the story of Prince Charles II and the aftermath of the Battle of Worcesterthe final battle of the English Civil War.
To escape capture by the Roundheads, who sought to eliminate the English monarchy, it is said the prince hid in an English oak tree in Boscobol Wood, England. Charles remained in the tree undiscovered until allies were able to bring him to a place of safety. He remained in exile for nine years.
Following the restoration of the English monarchy, Prince Charles would go on to become King Charles II and the tree that saved his life became an English national monument known as the Royal Oak.
Local history has it that as Cass delivered his Battle of Worcester lesson as he was laying on the ground looking into the majestic
this page online
"This truly is a Royal Oak."
The rest is history.
Can you find Prince Charles II hiding in the oak tree around the corner?
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Events. A significant historical year for this entry is 1819.
Location. 42° 29.249′ N, 83° 8.743′ W. Marker is in Royal Oak, Michigan, in Oakland County. It can be reached from South Center Street north of West Fourth Street, on the left when traveling north. Marker is in Eagle Plaza in a repurposed shipping container and faces the railroad tracks. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Royal Oak MI 48067, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Michigan and in Greater Detroit. It is also in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Royal Oak Post Office Tragedy (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Howard & Howard (about 600 feet away); Royal Oak Volunteer Fire Department (approx. 0.2 miles away); St. Paul Lutheran Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); Royal Oak Methodist Episcopal Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); First Baptist Church of Royal Oak (approx. 0.3 miles away); Royal Oak Woman's Club (approx. 0.3 miles away); Detroit Zoological Park (approx. Ύ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Royal Oak.
Photographed by Joel Seewald, March 5, 2023
2. How Royal Oak Got Its Name Marker
View looking toward the east and South Center Street.
Photographed by Joel Seewald, March 5, 2023
3. How Royal Oak Got Its Name Marker
View of the shipping container with the marker and "the oak tree around the corner" in which Charles II is hiding.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 3, 2023, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 700 times since then and 48 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 3, 2023, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.
