Kwhite I had to LOL when I read about the oak tree. When Gramps was still alive we went to Ohio every year, and we would drive out to the country town where he was from. Now this is all farm country, corn and soybeans, and we only went once a year. Not always from the same direction, and the same person wasn't always the driver. So, Grandpa and I are in the car going to see a particular cousin, and he says "Turn at the rail road tracks". So I'm driving along, and there are little unmarked county roads all over the place. We go over a very small rise in the road, and Grandpa starts yelling "I told you to turn at the RR tracks".
"But Grandpa, there AREN'T any RR tracks".
"Well there used to be!"
The little rise was an old elevated rail line. That had been removed around the time I was in junior high!! He just assumed that since HE knew all the local landmarks, I would too! Mom and I still laugh whenever we go over that "RR track".
And the town he was from was North Creek. I never heard it pronounced by any of the family any way but "Crick" for "Creek". To this day I say it that way too!