Chandelier Tree
| Chandelier tree | |
|---|---|
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| Species | Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) |
| Location | Leggett, California, US |
| Coordinates | 39°51′31″N 123°43′08″W / 39.858644°N 123.718994°WCoordinates: 39°51′31″N 123°43′08″W / 39.858644°N 123.718994°W |
| Date seeded | Approximately 400 BC |
| Website | http://www.drivethrutree.com/home.html |
The Chandelier Tree in Drive-Thru Tree Park is 276-foot (84 m) tall coast redwood tree in Leggett, California with a 6-foot (1.8 m) wide by 6-foot-9-inch (2.06 m) high hole cut through its base to allow a car to drive through. Its base measures 16 ft (4.9 m) diameter at breast height (chest-high). The sign claims 315 ft. high and 21 ft. wide, but a Certified Arborist experienced with tallest redwoods, using a laser rangefinder, measured the tree as 276 ft. high and 16 ft. diameter. The name "Chandelier Tree" comes from its unique limbs that resemble a chandelier. The limbs, which measure from 4 to 7 ft (1.2 to 2.1 m) in diameter, begin 100 ft (30 m) above the ground. The tree is believed to have been carved in the early 1930s by Charlie Underwood.
A vintage postcard of the Chandelier Tree was shown during the opening credits of National Lampoon's Vacation.
A number of big trees in California had tunnels dug through them in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The tunnel allowed tourists to drive, bike, or walk through the tree. The tunneling inflicted severe damage to the health and strength of the trees. The tunnels were cut to stimulate automobile tourism; the cutters did not know or care about the profound damage they were inflicting on the trees. Because of the damaging effects of carving through trees, the trend of creating tunnel trees has long passed.
The two giant sequoia drive-through trees have both fallen:
But two walk-through tunnel trees still stand:
Two other drive-through coast redwood trees (taller and more slender than giant sequoias) still stand. These are also along US 101 in northern California, in Klamath and Myers Flat.
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