Big Tree
Posted by: 
moochie
N 28° 43.130 W 081° 19.870
17R E 467657 N 3176880
The Senator is the largest cypress in the USA. It was dedicated in 1929 by Former President Calvin Coolidge and donated to Seminole County Florida by Senator M.O. Overstreet. It is estimated to be over 3500 years old and is 118 feet high.
Waymark Code: WM3CW8
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 03/16/2008
Views: 45
The Senator is one of the oldest and largest cypress trees in America. The Seminole Indians and other Native American Indians who lived throughout Central Florida used this tree as a landmark. A hurricane in 1925 destroyed the top of the tree, reducing its original height of 165 feet to its present 118 feet. In the late 1800's, the Senator attracted visitors even though much of the land around the tree was swamp and reaching the tree was done by leaping from log to log. A walkway was later constructed by the Works Progress Administration. In 1929, former President Calvin Coolidge visited the Senator and dedicated the site with a commemorative bronze plaque. The plaque and portions of an iron fence were stolen by vandals in 1945 and never recovered. In 1927, Senator M.O. Overstreet donated the tree and surrounding land for a park to Seminole County.
It is hard to grasp the size of this beautiful tree by looking at the pictures. It is indeed awe inspiring. There has been an ongoing "feud" with Louisiana and their cypress tree they claim to be the largest in the USA. Visit this link
(visit link) to read both sides of this brewhaha.
Estimated age and Dimensions of The Senator are taken by The American Forestry Association in 1993.
Marker Number: na
Date: na
County: Seminole
Marker Type: Plaque
Sponsored or placed by: Seminole County
Website: [Web Link]
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