The oak tree at the Venevitinov Estate in Starozhivotinny has unwittingly witnessed countless historical events. Dmitry Vladimirovich Venevitinov, a Russian Romantic poet, philosopher, and critic of the early 19th century, spent his childhood here. The life of the renowned historian and public figure Mikhail Alekseevich Venevitinov is closely connected with the estate. Ethel Lilian Voynich, author of the novel "The Gadfly," also lived on the estate and served as the Venevitinov family's governess in 1887.