In late 2011, I made a commitment to
write a weekly blog with subject matter directly related to the heavier horse
drawn vehicles that helped build America.
In addition to the dozens of feature length articles I’ve been fortunate
to share, this week’s blog marks my 150th post.
As a way of highlighting that personal milestone, there is another
reason the ‘150’ number is special this year.
2014 marks the 150th Anniversary of the creation of Yosemite
Park by Abraham Lincoln.
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The Yosemite Stage & Turnpike Company offered breathtaking tours of some of America’s most beautiful scenery during California’s early coaching days. |
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Doug Hansen and his team of professionals at Hansen Wheel & Wagon Shop completed this restoration of a vintage Yosemite coach several years ago. |
The Park and the giant sequoia trees in
Mariposa Grove have a long and storied history connected to coaching in the
West. In 1877, thirteen years after
President Abraham Lincoln ceded Yosemite to the state of California, the
Yosemite Stage and Turnpike Company began offering stagecoach tours to Mariposa
Grove, the largest stand of giant sequoias in what became Yosemite National
Park in 1890. The sequoias are much the same today, but many of the open-sided
touring coaches are gone. To get to the
Big Trees by stage in the early days, drivers had to negotiate steep, narrow
mountain roads with sheer drops and difficult switchbacks. On a few occasions,
masked highwaymen disrupted these outings.
In fact, during the first recorded robbery in 1883, passengers forked
over an amazing $2,000 worth of cash and jewelry. Even without this
extracurricular excitement, the tours often took all day.
With a continuing interest in these
specially designed vehicles as well as other stage and mountain wagons used in
the late 1800’s and early 1900’s (and the fact that I’ve always wanted to see
the giant redwoods up close), my wife and I made another trek out West a few
months ago. As part of the venture, we
made sure to include Mariposa Grove in our trip. From the legendary Half Dome granite rock to
giant waterfalls, scenic roads, wildlife, and the big trees themselves, the
area is incredibly beautiful and rich in American history.
Reaching the parking lot of the Grove
well in advance of the tour buses, we were among the first to arrive. The
morning air was cool but extremely comfortable for our 4 mile round trip hike
into the impressive trees. Within sight
of our parking spot we encountered one of the legendary trees often shown in
the early coaching photos. It was the
‘Fallen Monarch’ which is believed to have met its demise more than 300 years
ago. Climbing on this still-imposing
piece is prohibited today but there are a number of photos from 19th century
excursions showing horses, riders, coaches, and sight seers all atop this
monstrous tree. The acids in the wood
help prevent decay, so a number of the oldest toppled giants are still here to
view.
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The photos above show the legendary ‘Fallen Monarch’ tree as it appeared in the late 1800’s as well as today. |
Moving up the well-marked trail, we began
to hear the first rumblings of the tour vehicles. In some cases, these open air buses are
traveling the same paths as the early horse drawn coaching parties did. Just over 2 miles up a zig-zagging mountain
trail was a tree I’ve wanted to see for decades. It is the giant Tunnel Tree that has been the
subject of so many photos over the years.
Period images often show early coaches, mountain wagons, and automobiles
being driven through it. As a bit of
background to the Tunnel Tree’s history, the Yosemite Stage and Turnpike
Company hired two brothers in 1881 to cut an eight foot wide tunnel through the
heart of the redwood, also known as the “Wawona” Tree. The brothers were
paid $75 to create a passage more than 26 feet long and 10 feet tall. The
majestic tree stood over 230 feet in height until it fell in 1969 under an
especially heavy crown of snow.
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Perhaps the most famous tree in Mariposa Grove is the “Wawona” or Tunnel tree. It was a favorite place for ‘drive-thru’ photos for almost a century. |
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The two photos above show the legendary Wawona as it appears today. It lays where it fell in 1969. A close look reveals the old road beneath the giant. |
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One of the many Giant Sequoia trees near the well-known Wawona Tunnel Tree. |
While it’s sad to see the fallen hulk on
the ground, there is something especially grand about this tree that puts life
in greater perspective. Prior to its
fall, it was sometimes promoted as the “Oldest Living Thing.” Believed to be as much as 2,300 years old
when it fell, it stretched more than 230 feet into the air, was standing during
the birth of Jesus Christ, and dwarfing the forest floor when Columbus stumbled
upon the Americas. Billions of people
lived their lives from start to end during the lifespan of this behemoth. It was a privilege to see while walking some
of the same trails taken by early horse drawn coaching parties.
Just a few miles from Mariposa Grove is
the Pioneer Yosemite History Center. The
facility contains a number of historic structures related to Yosemite as well
as a significant collection of early western vehicles. We’ll cover some of those special sets of
wheels in an upcoming blog. In the meantime,
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