Named for the four "legs" of the trunk, the tree stands on a flat on the Eel River, two bends north of Lane's Redwood Grove (now called Smithe Redwood Preserve), a unit of the California State Park system. The new Redwood Highway was built in this area around 1916-20 and it is said that nearly 30 members of the convict squad that built the road, bunked in the hollow beneath the tree!

Mrs. Minnie Lilley purchased the tree and surrounding land in 1927 - on a schoolteacher's salary! In developing the area in 1929, the tree hollow was cleaned out and the openings closed in with door and windows, so that it could serve as an office for the rental cabins that were built at that time

These early cards show the tree before the "commercial" period.

You will note that on some cards, Lane's Redwood Flat claimed that it was the location of the Quadruped Tree, even though Lane's was two "flats" (and about 2 miles), further south!

When first developed, the tree was called the "Fraternal Monarch" and later - after it was featured in Ripley's 'Believe it or Not' - as the "World Famous Tree House". Those periods have their own pages and may be accessed by clicking on the links. (coming soon or go back to the main page)

I would be very happy to hear more from anyone with further information or postcard images!