My first post for this year is a sad one.
As I related in a previous post, the Orlando area was once home to the oldest and largest cypress tree in the U.S. and the fifth oldest tree in the world, at 3500 years old. Its residence was in Big Tree Park, a park dedicated in 1929 by President Calvin Coolidge. I felt sure that having lived so long, that my grandchildren and their grandchildren would, in turn, be able to enjoy this one-of-a-kind tree that had been around since the time of the Egyptian pyramids. Alas, this will not be so.
You see, a very selfish woman named Sara Barnes (click here to see the news article) decided to trespass on park property at night in order to feed her methamphetamine addiction, which was apparently something she did often. Near the big tree, she lit a fire so she could better see the drugs she was taking. On this very dry winter night, the fire quickly spread out of control and quickly burned through the center of the somewhat hollow tree. Firefighters bravely strung nearly a mile of hose to reach the tree and try to put out the fire, but it was too late. Within a matter of hours, the massive tree came crashing to the ground. 3500 years of history erased by a woman with a drug habit.
My family had only recently moved to the Orlando area, but we had visited this tree and park quite often. Thankfully, there is still a large tree on the property, Lady Liberty, estimated to be a mere 2000 years old, and there are a few other large trees in the nearby Black Hammock Preserve and Soldier Creek hiking trails...but the Senator was the oldest of them all, and now he is gone. Let's hope that Seminole County does a better job of guarding the remaining tree at the park so we don't get a repeat performance by another arsonist.
R.I.P.
3 comments:
Prem, my daughter and I share your sadness for the loss of this tree. I recall visiting the tree for the first time nearly 40 years ago, when my husband and I first moved to the area, and I recall the first time we took our daughter to the park and her sense of wonder at its size and age.
We, too, hope that there is some way to provide more security for the remaining trees, but we know even the most precious and well protected of our monuments is vulnerable to attack from miscreants and anarchists. And absolute security would require that nobody might ever see the trees again . . . that is not something to be desired, either.
Very sad (and stupid). I wish I'd seen it, but more that that I'd be happy never having seen it and knowing it's still there.
Definitely one of the top crimes of the century. Great article - I'll share it with my peeps. I hope all is well with you and your family, Prem!
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