Welch Big Trees Grove

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Revision as of 19:09, 14 June 2025 by Carey (talk | contribs) (Created page with "'''Welch Big Trees Grove''' was established after Joseph Warren Welch Sr. purchased 350 acres of old-growth redwood forest in 1867 (according to the [https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=912 Henry Cowell Redwoods SP]), or 1869 (according to [https://www.santacruztrains.com/2018/02/curiosities-big-trees.html Santa Cruz Trains]), saving the trees from being logged. After Eben Bennett's toll road was completed in 1868, access to the Big T...")
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Welch Big Trees Grove was established after Joseph Warren Welch Sr. purchased 350 acres of old-growth redwood forest in 1867 (according to the Henry Cowell Redwoods SP), or 1869 (according to Santa Cruz Trains), saving the trees from being logged. After Eben Bennett's toll road was completed in 1868, access to the Big Trees was via a road to a ford across the San Lorenzo River. That route remains today as "Old Big Trees Road", taking off from Highway 9 on the west side of the river, next to the "Toll House". When the Santa Cruz & Felton (SC&F) Railroad established passenger service, a stop was created at the Big Trees road. In 1879, the South Pacific Coast Railroad (SPC) routed its tracks along Welch's eastern property line and built a Big Trees stop, where Roaring Camp is today. That eastern Welch property line now divides the State Park from the privately-owned Roaring Camp.

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