In the summer of 1964, Prometheus, the oldest known tree of its time, was cut down.
Named after the Greek god of mythology by the local hikers and mountaineers, Prometheus once resided in the bristlecone groves of what is now Great Basin National Park.
Bristlecone pine trees are known as the oldest living trees in the world. Many factors contribute to their longevity, such as their ability to survive at high altitudes, hardened bark which is immune to several destructive bug species, and an adaptation known as “sectored architecture”. Researchers of Prometheus prior to 1964 believed the tree to be over 4,000 years old.
It was when geographer Donald R. Currey gained permission from the Forest Service to have the tree cut down that we learned its true age. Prometheus’s growth rings show that the tree must have been around 4,900 to 5,000 years old.
Viewing Prometheus, or rather, what remains of the tree, can still be done. The tree has now been broken into slabs for anyone wishing to see the lifespan of this jaw-dropping survivor. One slab resides at the Great Basin Visitors Center as you enter the National Park. Another is in the Bristlecone Convention Center located in downtown Ely. For those ready to climb, the stump of Prometheus can be found in the ancient tree grove under Wheeler Peak.
Discover more of the Prometheus story HERE.
