The Colossal Cherry

Floor Speech

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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Wilds Sonshine Factory, a distillery in McKean County, Kane, Pennsylvania, that makes a great product using sunflowers for that beverage.

I commend them today for honoring a vital piece of the Commonwealth's logging and conservation heritage, the Colossal Cherry. The Colossal Cherry is now an artifact, but at one time it was the largest black cherry tree in the world. The Wilds Sonshine Factory hosted a dedication ceremony on August 22 in honor of the Colossal Cherry, which is also known as the Sheffield Log.

Discovered and preserved through efforts of local historians and conservation advocates, the Sheffield Log stands as a powerful symbol of the region's natural history, the resilience of its people, and the enduring value of sustainable forestry.

It once stood in the woods of the Allegheny National Forest before being knocked down during the tornado of 1985. It was then formally homed in Sheffield, Pennsylvania, to mark its sesquicentennial in 1986. Now, the newly restored Colossal Black Cherry sits at its permanent home at the Wilds Sonshine Factory.

Mr. Speaker, this rededication is a story worth celebrating. I thank everyone who took part in the preservation of the Colossal Black Cherry.

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