Big Tree Park
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The Senator
In January 2012, a fire resulting from a deliberate and thoughtless act of arson tragically destroyed the oldest existing tourist attraction in Central Florida. The cypress tree known as “The Senator” and often referred to simply as the “Big Tree” certainly predated Walt Disney World and other current attractions. The Senator was located in Big Tree Park in Seminole County’s Spring Hammock Preserve, a small preserve in Longwood between Sanford and Orlando. Its younger companion, Lady Liberty, still stands nearby. As the elder of the two, the Senator was thought to have been on the site for over 3,500 years.…
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Video: Big Tree Park Tour
March 9, 2020 by Willow Phlox Caden and I took a trip out to big tree park (Longwood, FL) to visit the site of the Senator – a 3,500-year-old bald cypress tree. We also visit Lady Liberty the sister tree to the Senator. Find out how an act of arson destroyed this one-of-a-kind tourist attraction and see what is being done to preserve what is left.