Forest King

The Forest King was a giant sequoia tree located in Nelder Grove, California that was cut down in 1870 and taken on a touring exhibit in the United States.

[1] This act sparked public outcry and would lead to the founding of national parks and the protection of giant sequoias through the nascent conservation movement.

In April 1870, William Stegman stumbled upon the Nelder Grove and returned with a 29.5-inch thick piece of giant sequoia bark, which was put on display at the Capitol Saloon in Mariposa.

Barnum's interest in giant sequoias and his willingness to pay $100 for a section of bark sparked an illegal plan in the mind of Stegman and his business partner, William Sneidker.

The remaining circumference of the tree, including six inches of wood and several feet of thick bark, was cut into numbered sections for easy reassembly for display.

[9] The debut exhibition of the "Forest King," a giant sequoia tree, was held in Stockton, California in a tent on a vacant lot at the corner of Main and San Joaquin Streets.

The "Forest King" was on display in Arcade Hall in Chicago for four weeks during the Christmas season, and was exhibited in Cincinnati at Wiswell's Art Gallery.

Barnum, the legendary showman who had purchased the slab of giant sequoia bark the year earlier from Stegman in the Mariposa saloon.

Barnum moved the Forest King exhibit several blocks to the Empire Rink where it was featured as part of his winter season, beginning November 13, 1871.

In 1870, rumors of the plan to cut down a giant sequoia tree for exhibition by Snediker and Stegman sparked widespread outrage in central California.

[14] This reaction to the plan helped to coalesce into the conservation movement, with many arguing that the giant trees should be preserved as a source of health and pleasure for future generations.

In March 1874, California Governor Newton Booth signed the first law to protect giant sequoia under penalty of fines, however, this legislation was limited in scope, only applying to trees over sixteen feet in diameter in the counties of Fresno, Tulare, and Kern.