Redwood cross-section with its growth rings dated by plaque

1942

A cut section of virgin coast redwood, labelled as 864 years old, with small markers pinned to individual growth rings to align them against historical events. The annotations reach from the Battle of Hastings and Kublai Khan through the Declaration of Independence and the California Gold Rush. The photograph comes from the Farm Security Administration and Office of War Information file at the Library of Congress.