The Weird History of the Pringle Tree

Pringle Tree August 2026

At the confluence of the Buckhannon River and Turkey Run sits a small park out in the middle of nowhere. Well, it seems like the middle of nowhere, but its only minutes away from Buckhannon, WV and is a neatly maintained boat launch and picnic area with gorgeous views of the Buckhannon River. Established in 1978, the park is now maintained by the Upshur County Commission.

The park is home to a giant American Sycamore tree, said to be the third-generation tree growing from the roots of the original sycamore tree known as the Pringle Tree. 

At the outbreak of the French and Indian War, two brothers, John and Samuel Pringle, volunteered with the colonial militia. The Pringles were from the South Branch of the Potomac River, which would be today’s Eastern Panhandle of WV. The two were stationed at Fort Pitt (Pittsburgh, PA) but quickly decided that military life was not to their liking. In 1761, the two deserted, along with Joe Linsey and William Childers. 

Pringle Tree August 2026

Linsey and Childers were captured about a year later, but the Pringles managed to stay off the military radar. For a few years, they joined John Simpson, a hunter and fur trader. However, after an argument, the brothers went off on their own, eventually finding themselves near present-day Buckhannon in 1764.

For THREE YEARS, John and Samuel Pringle lived in the hollow cavity of a giant sycamore tree. Taking shelter in such trees wasn’t uncommon for hunters and other travelers, but this was usually seen as only a short-term solution. The Pringles called the sycamore, said to have at least an eight-foot-wide clearance, home for three years, making them the first European settlers in the area. 

But they couldn’t stay hidden forever. Eventually, their ammunition ran low and John risked returning home to South Branch for supplies. While there, he learned that the war had been over for some time, and no one was interested in punishing them for deserting. John returned to the sycamore tree to inform Samuel of the good news. Samuel agreed to accompany John back home. 

2nd Generation Pringle Tree Submitted by Find-a-Grave user: Becky Doan

The area must have called to Samuel, though. By 1769, he and his wife Charity had returned. They brought with them a small group of settlers who established the first permanent European settlement in the area. Samuel and Charity Pringle are buried in Hampton Cemetery in Buckhannon. It appears as if Samuel made up for his earlier desertion charges. His grave is marked by a military headstone, denoting him as ‘Captain’ Samuel Pringle of the Virginia Militia, serving in the Revolutionary War. 

On my epic West Virginia road trip in August of 2026, we made a stop to visit the Pringle Tree. Google Maps took us right to the small park, but there were a few times as we navigated the narrow country road that we had our doubts that we were on the right track.  The location is absolutely beautiful, and peaceful. There is a parking area, but to reach the Pringle Tree, you have to walk across a small field. 

The grass was well-maintained, and it was a flat, easy walk….until you got closer to the tree. In the photos above, what appears to be hardpacked earth was thick, quicksand-like mud! I trudged through as close as I could but eventually had to throw in the towel and get a few pictures from afar. This area of West Virginia had recently seen some major flooding, so it’s not surprising that a patch of field that was once covered in lush green grass was now my biggest elementary school fear come to life. 

What’s even weirder…I was about halfway through the mud when I noticed that someone else had attempted to walk through there. Footprints came out of nowhere and disappeared into nowhere! I’m sure there’s a logical explanation, but I was exhausted, frustrated, covered in mud, and probably not thinking straight by that point. I wish I had gotten closer, but that just gives me an excuse to go back another day!

Pringle Tree Historical Marker

Sources and Further Reading:

Source: http://theresashauntedhistoryofthetri-state.blogspot.com/2026/09/the-weird-history-of-pringle-tree.html