Christmas tree history traces back to ancient pagan winter solstice traditions using evergreens, but the modern, decorated tree originated in 16th-century Germany, with Martin Luther credited for adding candles, symbolizing stars and introducing it as the Christmas tree as Christians know it. | Kuya Kim Atienza

186K views · 846 reactions | Wawona Tree’s Sacrifice: 2,100 Years Lost for 37 Feet #WawonaTree #HistoricStory #CostOfProgress #NaturalHeritage #EarthStories | The History Canvas | Facebook

The Fallen Wawona Tunnel Tree in Yosemite’s Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias is a remarkable piece of park history. 🌲 The tunnel through Yosemite’s famous Wawona Tree was cut in 1881 as a tourist attraction. It was the second standing sequoia to be tunneled (the first, a dead tree, still stands in the Tuolumne Grove in Yosemite). Stagecoaches and later cars would pass right through the massive trunk, making it one of Yosemite’s earliest and most popular photo ops. The Wawona Tree stood for 88 s