Sequoia National Park was founded on this day in 1890, and while the park’s 128 years is nothing to sneeze at, some trees in the giant sequoia grove had called this home for thousands of years before they were given the protection of a national park. The Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park is where General Sherman, the largest tree in the world, stands. It is estimated to be 2,300 to 2,700 years old—a silent witness to both natural and human history. By the time Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa ‘found’ the Pacific Ocean in 1513, General Sherman had been growing for more than 1,500 years.
Walking among the giants
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Exploring the Pearl of the Atlantic
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A circular celebration
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Hello, harbinger of spring
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Holey moley–it’s National Doughnut Day!
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Modica, Sicily, Italy
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A different view of sharks
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National Bison Day
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Aloe in bloom
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King of the dinosaurs
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It’s surströmming time
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Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
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Flock online for the Great Backyard Bird Count
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A throng of ice and spires
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Gardens by the Bay nature park, Singapore
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Bathing boxes at Brighton Beach, Australia
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State funeral of Queen Elizabeth II
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Procida, Italy
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No, it s not a leaf. Happy Look-alike Day
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Everest s shadow on the Himalayas
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Why’s it called a spelling ‘bee,’ anyhow?
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Summer winds down in the Southern Hemisphere
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The monsoon arrives in the desert
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Noctilucent clouds
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The Millennium at 20
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Gateway to America
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A long winter’s nap, perhaps?
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Is there a bug-egg emoji for this?
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Life in a North African town
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Summer solstice
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Jupiter and the Galilean moons