Senator (tree)

The Senator is the largest Baldcypress tree in the United States. It is 115 ft tall, with a trunk diameter of 11.3 feet (344 cm), and an estimated stem volume of 4,216 cubic feet (119.4 m³) [http://www.conifers.org/cu/tax/distichum2.htm] . It is located in Big Tree Park, Longwood, Florida, and as of 1993, is estimated to be 3500 years old. [cite journal |year=2002 |month=January |title=Bald cypress has different personalities |journal=Woodshop News |url=http://www.woodshopnews.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=2593E13D061C4EAEB7893E7F912D35F4&nm=Archives&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=64C047A5FFFC40329B09843F6ADCA58C |accessdate=2008-07-19 ]

The Senator is one of the oldest Baldcypress trees in America. The Seminole Indians and other Native American Indians who lived throughout Central Florida used this tree as a landmark. A hurricane in 1925 destroyed the top of the tree, reducing its original height of 165 ft. to its present height.

In the late 1800s, the Senator attracted visitors even though much of the land around the tree was swamp and reaching the tree was done by leaping from log to log. A walkway was later constructed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA).

In 1929, former president Calvin Coolidge visited the Senator and dedicated the site with a commemorative bronze plaque. The plaque and portions of an iron fence were stolen by vandals in 1945 and never recovered.

Located 40 feet from the Senator is another old cypress named Lady Liberty. It is 89 feet high 10 feet in diameter, and is estimated to be 2000 years old.

In 1927, Senator M.O. Overstreet donated the tree and surrounding land for a park to Seminole County.

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