This Bois D'Arc tree, also known as an Osage Orange, Hedge Apple, or Bow Wood tree, began growing in 1790. Historically, Native Americans used its wood to make strong and resilient bows and arrows, and early settlers used it for hubs, spokes, fence posts, and yellow dye. Before barbed wire, living Bois D'Arc trees were also used as fencing. Bois D'Arc trees are dioecious, meaning only female trees produce fruit, and this tree is a thorn-less male variety that does not produce hedge apples or oranges. In 2021, the Arkansas Department of Agriculture Forestry Division estimated its starting date as 1790. By the time Kirkbride chose this location for his family's new home and inn, the tree was already 60 years old and probably a large shade tree. It stood beside the Military Road in the early days, saw the construction of Potts Inn, endured through the Civil War, welcomed community members home after both World Wars, and remained as the last Potts family members relocated in 1970 and the grounds were transformed into the museum that stands there today.