“The Senator” is the nickname of what was a 3500 year old Cypress Tree in Big Tree Park in Longwood Florida. Sadly, it burned down in January of 2012 when a drug addict lit a fire in the hollow at the base of the tree because “it was dark and she wanted light to see the drugs she was using.”. The culprit confessed and is expected to be sentenced shortly to either probation or a few months in prison.
I’ve written several blog articles about this and I hope you’ll forgive me for writing one more:
- From before the fire: https://edrosack.com/2011/09/18/big-tree-park-home-of-the-senator/
- From just after the fire: https://edrosack.com/2012/01/16/the-senator-is-destroyed-by-fire/
- After they planted a clone of the tree (“The Phoenix”): https://edrosack.com/2013/04/06/return-to-big-tree-park/
The latest chapter in this story is even more personal and began in December of last year when someone posted a comment on this photo of the Senator on Flickr asking if I’d be willing to sell a copy of the image. Tony Seifred and I exchanged a few emails, and to make a long story short we also ended up exchanging gifts. I gave Tony copies of two photographs of the Senator and he gave me a piece of the tree itself! I’ll let Tony tell his side of the story:
“Back when the tree burned, NPR covered the story the following morning. Within an hour I was cold calling county personnel and getting passed from one person to another. I was trying to encourage them to make offerings to school systems for educational purposes.
After many months I received an email that the decision had been made to take applications for remains. I contacted my local schools and museum trying to get them to apply. I even provided the applications. No one applied.
So I decided to try on my own. Eventually I did receive a piece of the outer part of the tree, but pick-up had to be in person. The story after that is long and convoluted but eventually did find someone there to accept payment to collect and ship the piece. Upon arrival the box was open and the piece had clearly been out.
Despite the rather expensive UPS store packing. Some pieces were broken off and still inside the wrapping. I am gifting you the largest of those pieces.”
Kudos to Tony for pursuing this and making it happen. I had the piece mounted together with the photo I made before it burned. Here’s how it looks:
This means a great deal to me and I’ll treasure it as a reminder of visits to the Senator before the tragedy. I’m exceptionally grateful to Tony for his generosity in sharing with me.
Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog.
©2014, Ed Rosack. All rights reserved
©2014, Ed Rosack. All rights reserved
What a wonderful and touching story. Thank you for sharing this history. You have done a good job preserving that history….
Thank you Dorothy.
Wow…what an incredible bit of history to have hanging on your wall! Congrats Ed!
Thanks, Jeff. It does look nice on our wall.
Good to read this follow-up to the sad story, and great to know there are folk who revere Nature in the way you do.
Thank you Rhona.
Wow! What a treasure!!
I agree LaDonna – it would be very hard to replace.