Lindsay Creek Tree

The Lindsay Creek Tree (commonly misspelled as Lindsey Creek Tree) was a notably large coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) that grew in Fieldbrook, California, along the Lindsay Creek, which feeds into the Mad River. It was once thought to be the largest single-stem organism (tree) known to have existed historically due to erroneous article published in the Humboldt Times. In 2024, a second article was discovered that offered more accurate measurements of the tree. Although the tree was not as large as it was fabled to be, it would still likely rank within the top 5 largest coast redwoods alive today.

Its dimensions were measured by lumberman Henry A. Poland to be 325 ft (99.06 m) tall with a diameter of 19 ft (5.79 m) at its base, 14 ft (4.27 m) at a height of 125 ft (38.10 m), and 9 ft (2.74 m) at a height of 200 ft (60.96 m).

The tree stood on land owned by Dolbeer & Carson Lumber Company. In 1897, this firm contracted the Vance Mill & Lumber Company to log the area, which earned this tract the nickname Vance's Lindsay Creek Woods. This forest was locally famous for having some of the largest trees known in Humboldt County at the time, including the Fieldbrook Tree. By 1905, most of the Lindsay Creek Woods had been clearcut, but the Lindsay Creek Tree was left because it could not be effectively felled and saved. Being the only standing tree in the middle of a clearcut made it extremely vulnerable to weather and erosion, and it subsequently blew down in a storm in January 1905.

Before more accurate measurements were discovered, the tree's volume was estimated to be 90,000 ft³ (2548.52 m³) based on the first article claiming that it measured 19 ft (5.79 m) at a height of 120 ft (36.58 m), with a total height of 390 ft (118.87 m). This would have made the Lindsay Creek Tree twice the size of the current largest tree, General Sherman, and around ten feet taller than the current tallest tree, Hyperion. Now, the largest tree to ever exist historically is the Crannell Creek Giant.