While visiting Mendocino last weekend we finally stopped by the Mendocino/Fort Bragg Guest House Museum. It was a short and cute little museum. But, the fun part was the large redwood stump out front displaying rings from almost Pre-Christian times. We don’t see many trees this large anymore outside of the State Parks that care for them. But, for those of you who may never have seen anything like this before check it out and then read of the many historic events that occurred in its lifetime. I have never seen anything like this outside of California, has anyone else?
Bulldog Travels / Photos By Jenny 
Any idea why it was cut down?
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Not specifically. But back then they were logged regularly just for the wood. The entire Fort Bragg area was a logging town. Towns like this and Seattle and others still in California helped build San Francisco and other big cities. Love it or hate it it is our legacy.
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We cut down all of our oaks to build the navy!
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Yah, see it’s hard to argue with that. But, then once it is all done and you have nothing but wee little trees you start to wonder how smart it was. Thankfully we still have delightful forests. There just aren’t as many of our large Redwoods before. Have you ever seen them before. They are really something to behold.
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I saw some big trees in Yellowstone but I have never been to California. When I was a boy I had a book with a picture of a Giant Redwood with its trunk cut out to make a tunnel and a car was passing through, I always liked that picture!
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YES! There are two of those that I know of. Mind you I dont believe a big Escalade would fit through it but a car can actually drive through it. I have heard they don’t let cars go through it any longer. But, I am not sure. The trees are magnificent.
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lumber. Siding for houses, patio furniture, indoor furniture, railroad cars, railroad ties, shipping crates, jewelry boxes come to mind.
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What a shame!
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That is a very large “misery whip”; I can’t imagine using it all day.
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Yah, I sure hope they have better chain saws for you guys these days. Those guys got their work outs on big trees like this.
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What a huge specimen! I have seen one similar at Yosemite National Park but I don’t know how big it was. Great find!
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We are so lucky to have giant redwoods throughout the state. I never grow tired of seeing them. Sadly this one was cut down but it is still impressive to see. There is one in Calavaras that was big enough to be used as a dance floor!
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Wow…what history!!
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Wow, incredible! The closest I’ve come to seeing something like this was a slice of a giant sequoia in the Natural History Museum in London, but I don’t think it’s as old as this tree was. I was amazed by the forests in California when I was there a few years ago – our ancient Irish forests are long gone!
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Can you imagine what Ireland once looked like?
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It could be that we never really had massive trees here to begin with… possibly lots of hazel and willow, with dense brambly undergrowth. Maybe we’re not missing out after all 😆
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I thought I read somewhere that there did use to be forests all through the UK. I always imagine then sort of like the forests in the Highlands of Scotland. But, I obvious don’t know for sure. The rolling green hills are surely beautiful however. How else would you see the sheep dotting the countryside unless it was open and airy? 😉
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True! And now I think about it, not all the countryside is damp and boggy (just the parts I visit most often!) so maybe there were vast ancient forests too 😀
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Damp and boggy sounds great right about now. It’s been well over 100 degrees (38+ degrees) lately here where I live in California.
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Eeeek! Too rich for my blood! I’m sending you some cool Irish breezes to take the edge off your heatwave 😀
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That’s incredible! I’d really like to see one of those alive, must head out to California someday.
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It was a different era when redwoods were measured in board feet instead of beauty. I have little doubt that all of the giant redwoods would be serving as someones deck or house today if it weren’t strictly protected. Maintaining virgin forests is an ongoing battle. Like you, I have returned to Mendocino again and again. –Curt
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Thank goodness those we have left are protected. They are truly gems of our great state. How far to Mendo from where you and Peggy are?
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Not as close as when we lived in Sacramento, sigh. But we do have gorgeous sections of the Oregon coast within a couple of hours. We go over via the Redwood Highway out of Grants Pass. –Curt
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Your coast is pretty awesome up there for sure. Any nice little comparable towns?
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Some delightful small towns yes. But I don’t know if they can match Bolinas, Point Reyes Station, or Mendocino. But then again, these were the towns of my youth… Curt
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Amazing. So is the chronology. No mention of the Napoleonic wars? Or the French revolution? and who was the Swedish king? 🙂
I believe those trees are unique to California. I remember going through Yosemite a (long) while back. Unbelievable. Thank you Jenny.
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That’s funny. I thought their choice of history was interesting myself. Probably made by loggers years ago…
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Oh, definitely interesting. In Psychology we are taught that any choice, sequence of words is revealing. There must have been a Swede among the loggers. 😉
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Maybe so!
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We have a few displays like that around Washington State. Though the funny thing is I can’t remember specifically where, just that I’ve seen them. I don’t think any are that big, not sure about age. Some of our old growth douglas firs are enormous, but still have to bow to the mighty redwoods.
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Thanks for the comment! Are there any in state parks or big ones that are protected up there? Or are they all down here?
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