40 Unique Photographs That Capture Rare Moments Throughout History

This photograph is breathtaking and sad when you learn the story behind it. The “Mark Twain Redwood,” as it was called, was one of the largest and oldest redwood trees. It was felled in 1891 simply because humans wanted to show portions of its trunk in museums around the world. You can see just how huge the trunk is in this picture.

California is home to some of the oldest recorded sequoia trees in the world, and thankfully, conservation efforts have prevented people from chopping them all down. While it’s amazing that people outside of California are able to see portions of this ancient tree, it’s a huge loss to nature, considering how old it was.