Ex President and Mrs. Calvin Coolidge at Dedication of Florida's Big Tree Postcard
Dublin Core
Title
Ex President and Mrs. Calvin Coolidge at Dedication of Florida's Big Tree Postcard
Alternative Title
Calvin Coolidge at Big Tree Park Postcard
Subject
Longwood (Fla.)
Bald cypress
Coolidge, Calvin, 1872-1933
Presidents--United States
Ex-presidents--United States
Cypress
Description
Postcard showing the Senator, a cypress located at Seminole Big Tree Park. Big Tree Park lies off of U.S. 17-92, south of Sanford in a swampy, mainly undeveloped area. The park's focal points are two ancient and giant bald cypress trees. The largest is known as the Senator; the other is known as the Senator's Brother. The two trees are possibly named in honor of M. O. Overstreet, a Florida state senator who donated the surrounding land to Seminole County in 1951, although they had their current names as early as the 1920s. The trees were a popular tourist attraction from the 1880s onward. In 1929, former President Calvin Coolidge and his wife, who were frequent visitors to Mt. Dora, visited the trees and dedicated them with a bronze plaque. The plaque was stolen in 1945. Both trees are extremely old and their age is typically given at 3,500 years. The Senator was believed to be the largest bald cypress in Florida; however, questions have been raised concerning the definition of "largest." It appears today that the Senator reigns as the cypress with the largest volume, the total amount of wood above ground. The current measurements may make it the largest bald cypress in the United States. As of 2011, the tree's height has been measured around 118 feet tall. It has been said that prior to the 1928 hurricane, it stood as tall as 160 feet.
Source
Original 3.5 x 5.5 inch black and white postcard: Private Collection of Thomas Cook.
Date Created
ca. 1930
Date Copyrighted
ca. 1930
Date Issued
ca. 1930
Contributor
Cook, Thomas
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of original 3.5 x 5.5 black and white postcard.
Is Part Of
Private Collection of Thomas Cook.
Postcard Collection, Thomas Cook Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.
Requires
Format
application/pdf
Extent
7.36 MB
Medium
3.5 x 5.5 inch color postcard
Language
eng
Type
Still Image
Coverage
Longwood, Florida
Spatial Coverage
28.720802, -81.331345
Temporal Coverage
1930-01-01/1930-12-31
Accrual Method
Donation
Mediator
History Teacher
Geography Teacher
Rights Holder
Copyright to this resource is owned by Thomas Cook and provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.
Contributing Project
Curator
Cook, Thomas
Digital Collection
Source Repository
Private Collection of Thomas Cook
External Reference
"Big Tree Park." Parks and Preservation, Seminole County. http://www.seminolecountyfl.gov/locations/Big-Tree-Park.stml.
Blozan, Will. "The Senator Cypress is Re-elected to Top Position in Eastern Forests." Native Tree Society. http://www.nativetreesociety.org/fieldtrips/florida/senator/senator_cypress.htm.
"The Senator - Florida's Big Tree." Floridata. http://mobile.floridata.com/Plants/Taxodiaceae/Taxodium%20distichum/108.
Transcript
Ex President and Mrs. Calivin Coolidge at dedication of Florida's "Big Tree" The Senator Cypress. Age 3500 years. Diameter 17 1/2. ft. Circumference 47 ft. Height 126 ft. On U. S. 17 and 92 between Sanford and Orlando, Florida
POST CARD
PLACE STAMP HERE
POST CARD
PLACE STAMP HERE
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Original Format
1 black and white postcard
Physical Dimensions
3.5 x 5.5 inch
Collection
Citation
“Ex President and Mrs. Calvin Coolidge at Dedication of Florida's Big Tree Postcard,” RICHES, accessed December 31, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/991.