The General Grant tree is the largest Giant Sequoia in the Grant Grove section of Kings Canyon National Park. It was named in 1867 after Ulysses S. Grant, Union Army general and the 18th President of the United States (1869-1877).
President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed it the "Nation's Christmas Tree" in 1926. On March 29, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower declared the tree a "National Shrine", a memorial to those who died in war. It is the only living object to be so declared.[1]
The tree is the second largest tree in the world after the General Sherman tree as of 2005, when the Washington tree, which was previously second place, lost half its trunk. Once thought to be well over 2,000 years old, recent estimates point to a much younger age closer to 1,650 years.[2]
Contents |
Statistics
| Height above base[3] | 267.4 ft | 81.5 m |
|---|---|---|
| Circumference at ground[3] | 107.6 ft | 32.8 m |
| Diameter 4.5 ft (1.4 m) above highest point on ground[3] | 28.9 ft | 8.8 m |
| Diameter 60 ft (18 m) above base[3] | 16.3 ft | 5.0 m |
| Diameter 180 ft (55 m) above base[3] | 12.9 ft | 3.9 m |
| Estimated bole volume[3] | 46,608 cu ft | 1,320 m3 |
See also
References
- ^ National Park Service. "Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Information Page". http://www.sequoia.national-park.com/info.htm. Retrieved 2007-03-06.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey (6 December 2000). "World's Largest Tree is Younger Than Once Thought". Press release. http://www.werc.usgs.gov/news/2000-12-06.html. Retrieved 2007-03-06.
- ^ a b c d e f Flint, Wendell D. (1987). To Find the Biggest Tree. Sequoia National Forest Association. p. 94.
External links
Coordinates: 36°44′53″N 118°58′16″W / 36.7480°N 118.9711°W
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