General Noble, Giant sequoia in Converse Basin Grove, California, US
General Noble was a giant sequoia in Converse Basin Grove that stood approximately 300 feet tall with a ground circumference of about 95 feet before it was felled in 1892. The remaining stump, known as the Chicago Stump, is all that remains of this ancient tree today.
The tree was felled in 1892 and sectioned into 46 pieces for transport to the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, marking the end of an era when such giants were harvested for major exhibitions. This removal represented one of the last major timber operations targeting sequoias for display purposes.
The tree was named after Secretary of the Interior John Willock Noble as a tribute to his office and represents an era when giant sequoias were seen as symbols of American greatness. Today, visitors can experience what remains and understand the reverence people once held for such trees.
The Chicago Stump is reached by a flat trail about half a mile long from Forest Road 13S03 through the surrounding forest. The path is easy to walk, though the location sits at higher elevation so visitors should be prepared for mountain conditions.
Sections of the tree were shipped to Washington D.C. where they remained on public display in a museum for more than forty years before eventually returning to California. This extended exhibition made the tree's legacy part of the nation's cultural story for generations.
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