A GIANT AMONG THE BIG TREES

Perhaps the most famous visitor in the history of Big Trees Grove came on May 11, 1903. On that day President Theodore Roosevelt stopped for a luncheon beneath the redwoods. 

Santa Cruz was one stop on his 14,000-mile cross country rail journey. Roosevelt came to the Central Coast to celebrate the recent creation of Big Basin Redwoods as California’s first state park. Since the journey to the new park was long (nearly 40 miles from Santa Cruz) and the park had virtually no facilities yet, it was easier for the presidential party to see the redwoods at the closer and more convenient, privately operated resorts in Felton. Roosevelt arrived by train at Cowell’s Big Trees, where he got his first glimpse of the coast redwoods. From there he was escorted over to the Welch family’s Big Trees Grove for his tour and luncheon. 

Roosevelt did not intend to give a speech at the grove, but upon his arrival an unusual, long-time local tradition caught his attention. Since at least the 1870s, visitors left mementos of their visits by writing their names on slips of papers or leaving personal calling cards pinned to the soft bark of the redwoods. 

This poor-quality image of Roosevelt giving his speech at Big Trees Grove is also from the book, California Addresses by President Roosevelt.  If anyone knows the whereabouts of the original, high quality version of this image, I would greatly appreciate finding out. Thank you. 

Image from a postcard showing the Club House at Cowell's Big Trees and one of the many card and note covered redwoods - Scott Peden Collection

Roosevelt commented upon this local tradition in his remarks which have been reprinted here from the book, California Addresses by President Roosevelt, Tomoyé Press for the California Promotion Committee, San Francisco, 1903.

REMARKS AT THE BIG TREE GROVE,

SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA

MAY 11, 1903

MR. MAYOR, AND LADIES FIRST, AND TO THE REST OF THE GUESTS

IN THE SECOND PLACE:

  I want to thank you very much for your courtesy in receiving me, and to say how much I have enjoyed being here. This is the first glimpse I have ever had of the big trees and I wish to pay the highest tribute I can to the State of California, to those private citizens and associations of citizens who have co-operated with the State in preserving these wonderful trees for the whole nation, in preserving them in whatever part of the State they may be found. All of us ought to want to see nature preserved; and take a big tree whose architect has been the ages, anything that man does toward it may hurt it and cannot help it; and above all, the rash creature who wishes to leave his name to mar the beauties of nature should be sternly discouraged. Take those cards pinned up on that tree; they give an air of the ridiculous to this solemn and majestic grove.  (Applause.) To pin those cards up there is as much out of place as if you tacked so many tin cans up there. I mean that literally. You should save the people whose names are there from the reprobation of every individual by taking down the cards at the earliest possible moment; and do keep these trees, keep all the wonderful scenery of this wonderful State unmarred by the vandalism or the folly of man. Remember that we have to contend not merely with knavery, but with folly; and see to it that you by your actions create the kind of public opinion which will put a stop to any destruction of or any marring of the wonderful and beautiful gifts that you have received from nature, that you ought to hand on as a precious heritage to your children and your children’s children. I am, oh, so glad to be here, to be in this majestic and beautiful grove, to see the wonderful redwoods, and I thank you for giving me the chance and I do hope that it will be your object to preserve them as nature made them and left them, for the future. (Cheers and applause.)

You can learn the whole story of President Roosevelt’s visit to Big Trees Grove in my book, Historic Tales of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park – Big Trees Grove which is available from many bookstores through online ordering. 

Sources:  California Addresses by President Roosevelt, Tomoyé Press for the California Promotion Committee, San Francisco, 1903 on Google Books; “Visit of President Roosevelt,” Santa Cruz Sentinel,  May 12, 1903; “President’s Visit,” Mountain Echo, May 16, 1903; Teddy Roosevelt in California: The Whistle Stop Tour that Changed America by Chris Epting..