We had a national celebrity in our mists that we recently lost. This cache is a memorial to that celebrity and the loss that we incurred.
The Senator was the oldest pond cypress tree in the world, located in Big Tree Park, Longwood, Florida. At the time of its demise, it was 125 feet tall, with a trunk diameter of 17.5 feet.
The tree was destroyed by a fire on January 16, 2012.
This tree was destroyed by an act of complete selfishness and stupidity. He is gone but will never be forgotten.
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The Senator is gone, but Big Tree Park near Longwood will soon have a 40-foot-tall offspring of the ancient baldcypress tree that caught fire and collapsed in January.
Several clones of the Senator were produced about 15 years ago when foresters took cuttings from the 3,500-year-old Senator and planted some of them at the University of Florida in Gainesville.
In the meantime this is my memorial to this once historical and beautiful tree.
The cache is located close to the park, but not inside the park. That would be impossible given that the park is closed. Please use extreme caution as it is located close to where muggles can be at any moment of the day. There isn't any parking so please be careful. You may need to park somewhere close and walk to the location. Once the park reopens there will be plenty of parking. Please be respectful of this memorial and hide it well again so that it can stay there for a very long time. Although I know it won't last 3500 years.
Congratulations to Bobbybear for FTF!!!! Sorry Oldscouterdad, you snooze, you lose!