BY ANY OTHER NAME

Two ladies rest next to the Giant, circa 1880s - Author's Personal Collection

"The remarkable group of Sequoias known as the 'Santa Cruz Big Trees' are, unlike many of the natural wonders of the world, easily reached by rail or carriage."

 

"Perhaps the pleasantest way to visit 'The Trees' is by the road from Santa Cruz. The drive takes but a short while, the road winding through a shady forest for the most part, skirting the rapid San Lorenzo. Soon after leaving the city, it enters Powder Mill Cañon, and then, climbing the hillside, leaves the railway and follows the windings of the valley, affording many beautiful views of the river, the tunneled spurs of the range, and other bits of scenery. Finally the road winds sharply around a steep hillside, and abruptly reaches the grove."

 

"All about stand the grand trees. The dark red, rugged shafts rise to such a height as to diminish their colossal bulk. Though some of them are in circumference so great as only to be encircled by at least a score of people joining hands in a ring about them, their great height—three hundred feet or more—gives them the appearance of grace and symmetry we generally associate with trees of lesser growth. Following the winding paths laid out through the grove, we come upon tree after tree, each having a distinct individuality that has suggested the names they bear. There stand in solemn majesty the 'Generals Grant and Sherman,' the stately 'Daniel Webster,' the group known as 'Ingersoll's Cathedral' and the 'Y. M. C. A.,' the curious 'Buhrl Redwood,' and the strangely beautiful 'Eagle's Nest,' 'Idle Wild,' a charming camping ground, is set about with noble trees. The 'Centennial' group is a magnificent cluster, each tree being named for a revolutionary hero; and close to the hotel buildings is the 'Fremont' group, the 'Giant,' 'General Castro,' the 'Seven Sisters,' and other fine specimens. Going southward in the grove we come to the 'Chimney,' the '[V]ats,'’ [several tanning vats made of a single redwood] and many other interesting trees and groups. The walks amidst the Big Trees are delightful. In the broader, more open paths are always to be seen groups of happy picnickers, while the sequestered bypaths are ideal 'lovers' walks,' where, in the sweet seclusion the wild woods grant, wanders many a happy pair."

 

"… No more pleasant spot for a midsummer day's lounge can be found in the county; and nowhere in the State is there a more beautiful grove of California's royal tree, the redwood, or Sequoia sempervirens."

 

In my book, Historic Tales of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park – Big Trees Grove you will find a list of tree names. On the list, in addition to a tree name, I provided the name origin, if known, and date of dedication or the year of the earliest known published use of the name. When my book came out in 2020, the list had 100 names for trees located on the sites of both Welch’s Big Trees and Cowell’s Big Trees resorts.

 

I continue to add to the tree name list and to date have compiled over 120 names. A few trees have two or more names. The Giant was the originally called Fremont's  Tree, the San Lorenzo Giant, the Felton Giant, the Rotary Tree and the National Educational Association Tree. The current Fremont Tree was also known as the House Tree, the Pioneer, Fremont's Cabin and the Bridal Chamber House. 

 

Locations are known for less than a third of the named trees. My update of the Redwood Loop Trail map, also in the book, marks the location of several named trees you can easily see along the loop trail.

 

Source: History of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, California, Cradle of California’s History and Romance, by Major Rolin C. Watkins, editor, 1925.