Pomona in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
The Big Round
Giant Sequoia
— The Journey of a Concept —
Photographed By Craig Baker
1. The Big Round Marker
Julius Caesar's reign over Rome was approaching its dramatic end (44 BCE), when this giant sequoia sprouted - the tree providing this magnificent round. Until felled in Tulare County by a windstorm in 1961, this massive tree, nicknamed "Doris," thrived for more than 2,000 years.
Organizers of the 1961 Los Angeles County Fair envisioned a new attraction - "The Court of the Redwoods." The display, devoted to California's biggest trees, featured a grove of living redwoods, John Svenson's redwood sculpture "Ranchera" and a large cross-section of a giant sequoia. Based on the scale model, Fair managers discovered that the redwood round needed to be 16 feet in diameter! Panic stricken, they began calling forestry organizations to locate a huge tree.
Workers from California's State Department of Forestry, the Conservation Corps, and Tulare County labored for weeks to cut, load, and transport a cross-section of the giant tree. As the opening day of Fair "61" approached, progress reports oscillated between hope and despair. The round arrived a few days before the fair opened - fair staff finished the installation just hours before the first fairgoers arrived.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education
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Location. 34° 4.857′ N, 117° 45.863′ W. Marker is in Pomona, California, in Los Angeles County. Marker is on McKinley Avenue, half a mile east of Fairplex Drive. Located in Fairplex, the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1101 W McKinley Ave, Pomona CA 91768, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Millard Sheets Gallery (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Pomona Assembly Center (about 600 feet away); La Casa Primera (approx. 0.7 miles away); La Casa Primera Dedication (approx. 0.7 miles away); Casa Alvarado (approx. 0.7 miles away); “Scubie” Mills Heritage Trees (approx. 1.2 miles away); Isaac Eikenberry Home (approx. 1.3 miles away); Brandt House (approx. 1.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pomona.
Regarding The Big Round. The Giant Sequoia name honors Sequoyah, a Native American of the Cherokee Nation. In 1821, he completed his independent creation of the Cherokee syllabary,
Photographed By Craig Baker
2. The Big Round and Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on March 21, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 21, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 108 times since then and 40 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 21, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
