Sherman came by his moniker in 1879 when pioneer cattleman and former soldier James Wolverton discovered the tree and named it after the leader he’d served under, William Tecumseh Sherman. When loggers began cutting down the huge sequoias that only grow naturally on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada, Wolverton and other naturalists convinced the government to save these majestic monarchs. The U.S. Cavalry guarded Sequoia National Park from 1891 until 1916, when the National Park Service came into existence.
Sherman’s neighbors included a rather distinguished group, including the President, Chief Sequoyah, Pillars of Hercules, Chimney Tree and the Burnt Twins.
I took my thoughts with me as I left this Giant Forest, feeling insignificant. My life is a mere moment in passing compared to the timlessness of these trees. The sequoias are like watchtowers of all of human history. They've seen civilizations come and go; philosophies, religions and beliefs evolve; scientific discoveries and technological advances made in their lifetimes. What changes will they witness in the next thousand years?
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