Our Newest “Gentle Giant”

After nearly 40 years in the business, one would think we have seen it all. The truth is, each and every day is an exciting adventure that presents new opportunities. The logs we work with to create our River-Recovered® heart pine and heart cypress flooring, paneling and other wood products are simply majestic. Each has its own distinct character and personality. Logger Don McCallister recently pulled this Cypress beauty out of the northern Withlacoochee River.

This “Gentle Giant “ is 30 feet long; 29″ in diameter at its top and an amazing six feet in diameter at its base.

Just take a look at this incredible ax cut end.

The log was discovered while Goodwin’s Marketing Coordinator, Jeffrey Forbes, was on the Withlacoochee hosting a documentary video crew. It was the first log they saw. It was still submerged in the river and its head was resting on a sandy beach. The log served as the perfect “subject” for the documentary, which we will share when it is complete.

Here is a bit of background on river logging along Withlacoochee (for you history buffs):

This giant cypress log was recovered on the part of the Withlacoochee that flows south out of Georgia and meets up with the Suwannee River at Suwannee River State Park. There once was a sawmill owned by Governor George Drew (Florida’s first governor post reconstruction) at what is now Suwannee River State Park. This log likely once belonged to this mill before it was “lost”.

Goodwin will now saw this antique beauty into a series of benches for the expansion of the Bok Tower campus in Lake Wales. Stay tuned, as we will continue to update you on the progress of this Gentle Giant…