Public flock to Sacred Oak for annual public visitation day

Having lived her entire life in Oley Township, Rebecca Yerger has long been familiar with the Sacred Oak.

She knew it was big. She knew it was old. And she knew that some, based on centuries-old folk tales, believe it has magical healing powers.

But what Yerger didn’t know was what it felt like to stand and gaze at the magnificent yellow oak, the largest tree of its kind in the United States. She had never experienced what it’s like to stand beneath its sprawling branches, shaded by its large, green leave.

Yerger, somewhat sheepishly, admitted that in all her years in Oley, she had never visited the Sacred Oak. Until Saturday, that is.

Joined by her sons Ty and Tate, Yerger finally made the trek to the farm along Friedensburg Road to visit the local landmark. She was one of dozens of visitors who flocked to the site for the annual Sacred Oak public visitation day.

The trip, she said, was well worth it.

“It definitely lived up to expectations,” she said. “Honestly, it looks like it’s from a movie. I think it’s so great that the property owners let people come out and see it like this.”

That property owner, Chris Hartman, said he’s glad to do it. When he bought the property back in 2013 he did so knowing about the Sacred Oak, which is estimated to be somewhere between 500 and 700 years old.

In fact, when he and his wife, Elizabeth McGovern, were moving and redesigning the home on the property they made the tree central to their planning. That included building a second-floor balcony that provides a clear view of the oak.

He also knew that there were members of the community that had a fondness for and felt a connection to the tree.

“We understand that there’s public interest and some very dedicated tree enthusiasts in the community,” he said Saturday, standing on the edge of grass lawn at his home that had been converted into a make-shift parking lot for the event.

A public visitation day was held Saturday at the Sacred Oak in Oley Township. (DAVID MEKEEL – READING EAGLE)

But, Hartman admitted, he didn’t quite know the level of interest there was in the Sacred Oak until after he bought the property. People wanted to see it, wanted to stand in its presence, and often would do so by simply walking through his private land.

That, he said, was not a welcome experience.

Fortunately, township officials were willing to work with Hartman to find a solution. Once or twice a year, the township would host a public visitation at the Sacred Oak, giving people a chance to see it without infringing on Hartman’s privacy or causing liability issues.

Hartman said the arrangement has been greatly beneficial, pointing out that the township collects donations that are used to care for the Sacred Oak. It has also allowed him to provide access to a piece of Berks County history.

“I feel this is a celebration of tradition here in the Oley Valley,” he said of Saturday’s event. “I’m very happy we’re able to let the public have the experiences they’re seeking.”

Like Hartman, township supervisor Jeff Spatz said he recognizes the historical and communal value of the Sacred Oak. That’s why he and his fellow township officials are more than willing host the annual visitation day.

“I believe in a sense of community,” he said. “It’s amazing how this brings people from all over and give them a chance to meet each other, to talk, to be together. It’s a wonderful event.”

Spatz said that he doesn’t buy into the legends of the tree having healing powers — a story that dates back to the Lenape Indians who once called the Oley Valley home — but added that he can’t deny there seems to be something special about the Sacred Oak.

“There’s something transcendent about it,” he said. “It stands today as a testament to longevity and durability

“It’s a lot of things to a lot of people.”