The thick bark (up to 3 feet/1 meter) of the giant sequoia helps it to survive frequent fires, and a chemical in its wood called tannin allows it to resist insects and disease. Even after they die, generally by falling over, the tannin in the sequoias' trunks prevents them from decomposing quickly. The Gamlin brothers used this fallen, fire-hollowed sequoia as a summer residence while they were building their cabin, and also used it to house a hotel and saloon. John Trout and John Carrington, the loggers who felled the Centennial Tree, also lived here, and the Cavalry used it as a temporary stable for their 32 horses.
