Mother of the Forest

1850s individual tree deathsHistory of Calaveras County, CaliforniaHistory of the Sierra Nevada (United States)Individual giant sequoia treesOldest trees ... and 1 more

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Mother of the Forest was a giant sequoia in the Sierra Nevada that was stripped of its bark and used as an exhibition tree. Discovered in 1852 by Augustus T. Dowd, it was the second largest tree in Calaveras Grove, standing at 328 feet tall with a circumference of 93 feet. During the California Gold Rush, its bark was harvested and exhibited in New York and London. However, the remaining tree was eventually destroyed by fire in 1908, leaving only a fire-blackened snag. The damage to Mother of the Forest and felling of other giant sequoias during the mid-1800s sparked public outcry and led to the conservation movement and the legal protection of these trees. In 1931, Calaveras Grove was designated as a part of California State Parks, ensuring the preservation of these remarkable trees for future generations.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Mother of the Forest (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Mother of the Forest
Big Trees Parkway,

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Geographical coordinates (GPS)

Latitude	Longitude
N 38.2673 °	E -120.2849 °

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Address

Big Trees Parkway

Big Trees Parkway
95223
California, United States
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Nearby Places

Calaveras Big Trees State Park

Calaveras Big Trees State Park is a state park of California, United States, preserving two groves of giant sequoia trees. It is located 4 miles (6.4 km) northeast of Arnold, California in the middle elevations of the Sierra Nevada. It has been a major tourist attraction since 1852, when the existence of the trees was first widely reported, and is considered the longest continuously operated tourist facility in California.

Pioneer Cabin Tree

The Pioneer Cabin Tree, also known as The Tunnel Tree, was a giant sequoia in Calaveras Big Trees State Park, California. It was considered one of the U.S.'s most famous trees, and drew thousands of visitors annually. It was estimated to have been more than 1,000 years old, and measured 33 feet (10 m) in diameter; its exact age and height were not known. The tree was topped before 1859. It fell and shattered during a storm on January 8, 2017.

Dorrington, California

Dorrington is a census-designated place (CDP) in Calaveras County, California, United States. The population was 609 at the 2010 census, down from 727 at the 2000 census. Originally known as Cold Spring Ranch until 1902 (because of an icy spring), the town sits on State Route 4 and historically was a stopping point along the toll road between Murphys and Ebbetts Pass, often serving as a resort for visitors to what is now Calaveras Big Trees State Park. Dorrington is also home to the second largest Sugar Pine in the world, measuring 32 feet (9.7 m) in circumference and 220 feet (67 m) tall. The name Dorrington comes from the maiden name of Rebecca (Dorrington) Gardner.

Calaveras Big Tree National Forest

Calaveras Big Tree National Forest, in the Sierra Nevada, was established in California on May 11, 1954, with 390 acres (1.6 km2) to protect a grove of Giant Sequoias, although it had been authorized since February 18, 1909.

White Pines, California

White Pines is an unincorporated community in Calaveras County, California. It lies at an elevation of 3907 feet (1191 m). White Pines was the site of a lumber mill completed in 1940. The White Pines mill closed due to exhaustion of the local timber in 1962. White Pines Lake was constructed in 1970, after which time White Pines became a recreational community. A post office operated in White Pines from 1940 to 1975.

Sierra Nevada Logging Museum

The Sierra Nevada Logging Museum is a museum dedicated to preserving the history of logging in the Sierra Nevada region. The museum is located on California State Route 4 in the Stanislaus National Forest, near Arnold, in Calaveras County, California, United States.

Arnold, California

Arnold is a census-designated place (CDP) in Calaveras County, California, United States. The population was 3,843 at the 2010 census, down from 4,218 at the 2000 census. Arnold is located on State Route 4.

Vallecito Union School District

Vallecito Union School District is a unified school district located in Avery, California, a town located in Calaveras County. It operates three schools: Avery Middle School, Albert Michelson Elementary, and Hazel Fischer Elementary. The current superintendent is Dr. Rick Brewer.

Avery, California

Avery is a census-designated place (CDP) in Calaveras County, California, United States. The population was 646 at the 2010 census, down from 672 at the 2000 census. Avery is located on State Route 4 and is home to the oldest continually operating hotel in the county, the Avery Hotel Restaurant & Saloon. Built in 1853, it was known as the "Half Way House," being located between Murphys, Arnold, and Calaveras Big Trees State Park.

Hathaway Pines, California

Hathaway Pines is an unincorporated community in Calaveras County, California, 8 km (5 mi) south of Arnold and 20 km (12.5 mi) northeast of Angels Camp. It lies at an elevation of 3323 feet (1013 m). Hathaway Pines' post office was established in 1943; it has the zip code 95233. The place's name honors Robert B. Hathaway, a vacation resort promoter who became the first postmaster.

North Fork Stanislaus River

The North Fork Stanislaus River is a 31.2-mile (50.2 km) tributary of the Stanislaus River in the central Sierra Nevada and Stanislaus National Forest of eastern California.

Middle Fork Stanislaus River

The Middle Fork Stanislaus River is a 45.7-mile (73.5 km) tributary of the Stanislaus River in the central Sierra Nevada and Stanislaus National Forest of eastern California.