Stunned
YouTube/Wranglestar
As soon as the loggers cut down that trunk, they knew something wasn’t right. The trunk was much lighter than most chestnut tree trunks; however, that’s probably because it was hollow inside. Once the trunk was on the ground, they saw the big hole in the middle. But the loggers didn’t expect what they were about to see. When they looked inside the log, a dog was looking back at them. They were very shocked at what they saw; however, the story behind the discovery was even more intriguing.
Cutting Down Some Trees
Pixabay
It was just a typical workday for the loggers of the Georgia Kraft Co. As a paper mill machinery business, part of the company’s work revolved around procuring wood for paper pulp. That day in 1980, the loggers were sent to cut trees from a forest in the area.
A Special Kind Of Wood
Wikimedia Commons/Schzmo
One tree type that is commercially valuable is an American chestnut, especially since they grow at a faster rate than oaks do. Even though a huge percentage of these trees were decimated in the early 20th century by a widespread fungal disease, surviving specimens remain in several parts of eastern North America, including Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, New Hampshire, and Nova Scotia. The chestnut has many special characteristics, one of which produced the shocking thing that stunned these loggers.
A Hollow Trunk
Will Wilkinson
After the loggers had selected all the trees that were going to be cut, they started chopping them down. It was a difficult task, and it was a project that would take all day. They then came upon this chestnut tree. As soon as the loggers hit the tree with their axes, they realized it was hollowed out. It didn’t matter, though – with it being chestnut wood it would still make for high-quality pulp. So they continued chopping, unaware of what was actually inside.
There’s Something Weird About This Tree
Pixabay
The loggers were prepared to cut the tree up into logs before loading it onto their truck. But then they noticed that something was a bit off. There was actually something inside the hollowed out trunk, blocking the light from passing through. They got closer so they could take a better look, and they instantly jumped back in surprise – and a tad bit of fear. There was a creature inside the trunk, looking back at them.
A Dog
Scott Beahan/Shutterly Perfect Portraiture
The animal inside the tree trunk was actually a dog. The loggers could see its sharp set of canines, long snout, and a pair of paws. There was something very strange about this dog, though: it looked like it was almost frozen in place. The loggers were shocked and also confused, but they had a job to do, so they had to quickly make a decision.
Giving It Away
YouTube/Wranglestar
Even though, the loggers knew they’d lose money by not chopping up the tree trunk, they decided this discovery was too shocking to destroy. So they put it aside, hoping that they could give it to someone who could solve the mystery of the dog inside the tree trunk. Luckily, the trunk would soon find the perfect home.
The Tree Museum
Southern Forest World
The year after the loggers’ discovery inside the chestnut tree trunk, Southern Forest World opened its doors, in 1981. It was a museum dedicated to the industry of forestry in the southeastern United States. The loggers knew there’d be no better place for the special tree trunk.
An Exciting Exhibit
Cover Images
The tree trunk was donated to Southern Forest World before its inauguration. Even though, its connection to the forestry industry was only due to having been found by loggers, the staff at the museum knew it would make an excellent exhibit. But, first, their job was to find out the story of the dog inside the trunk- and that’s when the story of this tree trunk was revealed.
Solving the Mystery Behind the Tree Trunk
BBC
Biology experts were recruited by Southern Forest, to explain the dog in the trunk. It was shocking to discover that the dog actually appeared mummified. It was crazy to think this could have happened in nature without the intervention of humans and techniques. Howver, as it turns out, that’s exactly what happened – as explained by biological anthropologist Kristina Killgrove from the University of West Florida.
No Decay
wiseGEEK
Killgrove studies decay of the tissue and explains how, when an animal dies, microbes in the body start eating the tissue and the process of putrefaction begins. “They grow, they reproduce, and they start taking over the body,” she says. But, in this dogs’ case, a property inherent in chestnut trees blocked this from happening. These trees in particular contain tannin, an organic substance that absorbs moisture and acts as a desiccant. The lack of moisture stopped the microbial activity, which in turn- prevented decay.
Staying Hidden
Pixabay
Most of the time, after internal microorganisms begin consuming a dead body, other creatures smell the rotting flesh and arrive to make it into a meal. However, the chestnut tree protected the dog from this, as well. “Anything that would eat dead flesh would never know he was in the tree,” said Bertha Sue Dixon, director of Southern Forest World. Now, that this mystery was solved- there was still one question that remained.
His Last Chase
YouTube/Heather Miller
One question still hung in the air, how did this dog end up inside a tree trunk in the first place? “He’s a hunting dog, so we assumed that he was chasing something in the tree,” posited Dixon. Experts concluded that the dog, more than likely a 4-year-old hound, had been chasing a raccoon or squirrel sometime around 1960. He followed the animal into the bottom of the tree and climbed up 28 feet until he eventually got stuck, and later he died of starvation. The dog is now preserved for posterity, and he is actually very popular.
Main Attraction
Roadside America
Since the museum’s opening, the dog has been the most popular attraction at Southern Forest World. His picture is now on postcards and other promotional materials. However, the funny thing is he didn’t get a name until decades later.
Stuckie
Imgur/RhincodonTypus1
The dog was known as the “Mummified Dog,” up until 2002. That year, the museum held a naming contest among fans. Runners-up included “Chipper” and “Dogwood,” but the winner was “Stuckie.” The person who came up with the name said the dog’s tree trunk coffin reminded her of “pecan logs” sold at Stuckey’s convenience stores. The museum changed the spelling to avoid trademark infringement. You can visit Stuckie the Dog at Southern Forest World in Waycross, Georgia.