Posted on 01/09/2017 6:41:36 PM PST by SJackson
Storms in California have toppled one of America's most famous trees - the Pioneer Cabin Tree.
The giant sequoia was known for having a hole cut through its trunk - big enough for a car to drive through.
The tree, estimated to be more than 1,000-years-old, was felled by the strongest storm to have hit the area in more than a decade.
California and Nevada have been hit by unusually high rainfall levels, leading to flooding and falling trees.
The Calaveras Big Trees Association first reported that the drive-through Pioneer Cabin Tree - carved 137 years ago - was no more.
The storm was "just too much for it", the group wrote in a Facebook post that has drawn nearly 2,000 comments. "Many memories were created under this tree," one read. "They will remain good memories."
Others pointed out that the tree might have survived for longer if a tunnel had not been carved into it. "You can't cut a hole in a tree like this and expect it to live," said one comment.
"This hole always bothered me so much. Why not just drive around it?"
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
Have a photo of our 53 Olds driving through that tree in 1954.
Because that's what they did in the 1880s, for horses.
Oh, that’s my fault. I got a couple of paper sacks a week ago at the grocery store.
Sorry about that. Oops.
If it helps, I’m using one to put empty soda cans in for recycling.
I want to see a photo of your DeLorean from 1985 driving through it in 1955!
Slow down from 88mph please.
Cars didn't exist in 1879.
I bought a couple of CFLs last week, so you're good.
I wonder how many feet of lumber that tree will yield. How many pieces of furniture?
Wow, thank you! I always knew somebody would come through. Got plastic bags to my dismay last night; wasn’t fast enough to ask for paper. It’s a wonderful feeling knowing the plastic bags will go to some landfill where they will be for 500 years.
I have a friend, who knows a guy, who leases out land for carbon credits (true story, actually). Now THERE’S a way to make money and watch reruns of “Gilligan’s Island”.
We might have this thing covered.
Next time I’m out in the snow, I’ll try to remember to hug a tree.
If it weren’t for that tunnel in the tree, I imagine it would have been chopped down long ago for lumber, like all the trees that once surrounded it.
My thoughts precisely. I don’t know if the wood is too soft for flooring but I imagine you can get some very wide boarding our of those lengths.
Odd - in my town they banned plastic bags. When I shop in other towns I always ask for extra plastic bags so I have some to put the dog poop in!
“Cars didn’t exist in 1879”....not to mention that trees were then considered a natural resource and not an object of worship.
They didn’t give a hoot for environmental issues in the 1880s when that opening in the tree was made. Served its purpose for well over 130 years. The tree was over a 1,000 years old. I drove through it back in the ‘60s. I have had a few trees on my property less than 30 years old go down in storms. It happens.
I REALLY did.
Tie one to the fence, it probably won't last a year.
Drove through that with my folks in our VW Vanagon back in the day.
For many years I had a little dog lapel pin that was made from those trees. I wore it all the time. Wish I still had that!
Probably none. The property that saved giant sequoias was that they were brittle and shattered badly on felling and worked poorly. Most of them cut were turned into matches and toothpicks from what I’ve read.
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