MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE ALBANY -- Anyone entering or exiting the main gate of Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany has passed by a large Southern Live Oak tree next to the base sign.
The tree was named “Dubber’s Oak” after Col. A. E. Dubber who was the resident officer-in-charge of construction during the time the base was being built.
Dubber served aboard the installation from February 1951 to July 1955. The base was commissioned as Marine Corps Depot of Supplies, March 1, 1952. After changing names several times throughout the years, the base was renamed MCLB Albany, after the Marine Corps regionalized all its installations, Oct. 4, 2005, according to Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany’s 2016 Base Guide and Telephone Directory.
Julie Robbins, natural resource manager, MCLB Albany, said according to historical records, Dubber wanted to preserve as many trees as possible during the construction of the base.
“Preserving the environment and the wildlife in and around the base was also a priority of his since the early planning phases of the facility,” Robbins said. “Dubber chose the Albany site and insisted early on in the base’s construction that he wanted no wildlife disturbed unnecessarily and that as many trees as possible should be saved.”
Dubber’s Oak stands approximately 60 feet tall with a circumference of 29 feet. It is estimated the tree is about 100 years old. A chain barrier at a radius of 30 feet was also put in place to help prevent soil compaction and root damage, according to historical documentation provided by Robbins.
Aug. 24, 1984, the tree was officially designated as Dubber’s Oak during a ceremony held under its shady branches.
According to the article, “Oak Tree Ceremony Today to Commemorate Base Founder,” published in The Emblem, Aug. 24, 1984, “Dubber’s foresight, initiative and hard work made a significant contribution to the successful establishment of the depot. His character and determination strongly influenced the design of the base as it is today. During the planning of the base, Dubber insisted the installation be aligned on the Oak tree, which still stands outside the main gate. Subsequently, the tree came to be affectionately called ‘Dubber’s Oak.’”
Dubber’s Oak, a historical landmark, was also acknowledged by the Tree Stewardship Award by the Albany Clean Community commission and the Georgia Forestry Commission in 1997.
Robbins also said the Georgia Urban Forest Council Georgia Landmark and Historic Tree Register certified Dubber’s Oak on the Georgia Landmark and Historic Tree Register, Nov. 14, 2001.
“This Quercus virginiana has been recognized because of its unique history and circumstances and due to its significance to the history of the city of Albany, Dougherty County and state of Georgia,” according to the registry citation.
Dubber’s Oak is classified as a Southern Live Oak, better known as Live Oak (Quercus virginiana), an evergreen oak tree native to the southeastern U.S. The tree is a common sight in states such as Virginia, Florida, Louisiana and Georgia, according to the website, www.monumentaltrees.com/en/trees/liveoak/liveoak/.
It is the largest tree species on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains. The live oak is not a very tall species, but has a widespread canopy with heavy branches, according to the website, www.monumentaltrees.com.
Like the Marines and civilian-Marines that guard the installation, Dubber’s Oak continues to watch over those who enter and exit the base serving the Marine Corps, the nation and this community.