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Wellingtonia Gigantea


Price: £10.00


Albumen photograph in sepia of the huge Wellingtonia Gigantea tree, 116 feet high

The interior of the Tropical Department along the Avenue of the Sphinxes was dominated by the Wellingtonia Gigantea a giant Sequia from Caifornia. Its diameter was 31 feet at the base, and 100 feet from the ground. There was much controversy over the removal of the 8 inch thick bark just to exhibit the tree. The controversy helped to bring about the conservation movement in the United States that resulted in the National Parks being set up. 

The Wellingtonia Gigantea was one of the famous growth of prodigious trees which stands at the head of the River Sacramento in California. Its age was esti­mated, from the concentric rings of the wood of the trunk, at 3,000 years. The tree was first displayed at the New York Crystal Palace in 1853.and later moved to the Sydenham building. It was located in the north end of Crystal Palace and was destroyed by fire on 31st December 1866. Note the Naval Museum behind.

Dated c.1859 

A3 size high resolution scan.