It sounds like the set-up for a classic riddle.

Q: How does a 26-ton live oak tree travel 65 miles down the expressway?

A: Very slowly.

But when The Settings of Mackay Point found just the right tree for the community entrance, time and distance took a back seat to acquiring a tree that would make an unforgettable impression on visitors and residents alike. It’s a perfect representation of The Settings of Mackay Point. And you don’t miss a chance for perfection just because it may take a little more time.

So, in a nutshell: The newest permanent resident of this waterfront community stands 40 feet tall and spreads out about 40 feet as well. Its trunk is 27 inches in diameter. Weighing in at about 55,000 pounds, this exquisite live oak started as a mere sapling in 1954 in Orangeburg, SC, at the Shady Grove Plantation and Nursery.

“The live oak is a big part of Lowcountry,” says Henry Sauls, construction manager at The Settings of Mackay Point. “It’s a tree with character, and that’s what we wanted to express at our community entrance: character.”

After digging it out of the ground, workmen wrapped the root ball—consolidated from 50 feet to 15 feet—in a cage to keep it together. It was then wrapped in burlap and secured with the same kind of strap used to make seatbelts. The team then called for the 70-ton crane to lift the tree out of its hole, after which the branches were tied, pulled back and fit into a package that would earn the load its traveling permits from the Department of Transportation.

At 9 p.m. Tuesday, April 15, the real adventure began with a convoy leaving the nursery heading to The Settings of Mackay Point. A DOT transport police escort led the way, followed by a flag escort car, then the tree, then another flag escort and another DOT transport police escort bringing up the rear. Things went smoothly until the parade got to the town of St. George on I-95. Road work was being performed, and The Settings team had to stop the transport to adjust hundreds of orange traffic barrels individually: just a few inches on either side, but a few inches that made all the difference. Moving through this obstacle course was like threading a 26-ton needle.

By the time the convoy got to the Highway 17 exit, hundreds of cars were backed up behind it, most of the drivers being delighted that the slow-moving tree was finally getting off the expressway. Henry points out that the professional truckers who had been backed up gave a few short blasts on their air horns as they passed, out of respect for the difficult job that was being accomplished.

“The regular travelers were not quite so respectful,” says Henry, mentioning a few of the catcalls he heard.

Once off the expressway, more action awaited, and it took the tree 30 minutes to travel one mile down Mackay Point Road. Power lines were navigated, mailboxes were moved, and one gatepost on the property had to be cut down with a chainsaw. But finally, at 2:30 a.m., the tree was “home” and by 4 p.m. the next day, it was officially planted. The entire process took about 19 hours.

“This tree is living proof of the commitment of The Settings,” says Henry. “We may not do things the easy way, but we always do things the best way.”