World's Biggest Douglas Fir Tree

World's Biggest Fir Slices Donated
from the Crown Zellerbach Times, September-October 1963

Crown Zellerbach has presented a 7,000-pound slice of history to the City of Portland in the form of a nine-foot cross-section from the Clatsop fir, once the world's largest Douglas fir tree.

With the local press and television recording the event, the cross-section was placed on display at the city's Forestry Building.

Until November 25, 1962, the forest giant stood on CZ's Clatsop Tree Farm near Seaside, Ore., a short distance from the company's Klootchy Creek Park. On that date, after having survivied uncounted storms and winds in it's estimated 702 years of life, including hurricane-force winds on October 12, 1962, the giant crashed to the ground during a blustery Sou'wester.

Its death came only a short time after it was officially designated the world's largest Douglas fir. It was 15.8 feet in diameter at breast height and measured 200 feet, 6 inches to it's four-foot broken top.

However, CZ Clatsop division loggers found decay had taken its toll in the base of the giant, which was a seedling when Marco Polo began his travels. The loggers had to go 38 feet up the tree before they could buck a solid cross-section.

Other cross-sections have been prepared for display at Klootchy Creek Park; Astoria, Ore.; Collier State Park near Klamath Falls, Ore.; the School of Forestry at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Ore., and the Oregon State Forestry Department. Among recipients of the world's biggest log "lily pads" will be CZ's Central Research division in Camas.