It was an ordinary day for the woodcutters of Georgia Kraft Co. Everything turned shocking when they started cutting a particular tree. It didn’t take long for the team to experience one of the most surprising moments in their career. The loggers still recount the event with bewilderment. Have you come to work, doing the usual stuff but everything suddenly went nuts? Whenever something unusual happens at work things can go a little crazy.
But let’s be honest, it can also lead to something wonderful. Just like what happened on a normal day for the loggers of Georgia Kraft Co. The workers were assigned their usual trees to cut down for their quota. They were busy the whole day with their power saws to fulfill their construction requirements.
The world could sometimes be a tease. From time to time it gives us something baffling.
While there are some illogical things happening, unusual events add some entertainment in our life. That’s what happens to the loggers who were about to discover something odd.
Everything was smooth for the woodcutters of Georgia Kraft Co. When the power saw started cutting to one particular tree, it left everyone baffled. They were about to experience something unusual. In fact, the experience will leave them recounting the event with great amusement.
The world is full of surprises. Even if science interferes, it leaves a gray area instead of shedding light. What is about to transpire will leave the woodcutters perplexed at least until their question were answered.
Not everyone is excited to get into the logging profession. A majority of people frown with the idea of a profession that cuts down trees. But it’s not the case with Jasper city. In fact, the city tolerates the act.
Every family can get into the logging industry. Jasper City is located in Pickens County, Georgia. It sits next to the vast mountains that include the Big Canoe, Bent Tree, and the Sharp Mountain Preserve. It’s also popularly called “the first mountain city.”
The mountains surrounding Jasper city are full of American Chestnut trees. It provides a good source of income for the logging industry. They have high commercial value. That’s because chestnut trees grow fast compared to oak trees.
However, a fungal infection threatened the trees in the early 20th century. Luckily, they survived and thrived. They spread to the eastern North American regions; Nova Scotia, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia. While each tree has its unique characteristic, the loggers are about to discover something they haven't seen before.
On a fine sunny morning in 1980, the team of 7-8 workers of the Georgia Kraft Co. came to the site at around 10 in the morning.
While they were sitting in the empty truck they found themselves overwhelmed by the work they needed to complete that day. Upon their arrival, the workers started their task right away. After lunch break, their completely normal day is about to change.
Everything was working smoothly. The workers were right on schedule chopping the trees. When only a few remaining trees were left, they noticed the one particular tree that caught them by surprise.
The tree was unusually light that seemed to be hollow inside. At first, the tree was so light that it would not require too much effort to cut. Surprisingly, the tree contains a secret that is about to be revealed.
As soon as the tree fell to the ground, the workers cut it into smaller chunks for easy carriage. While they were working on the usual task, one of their colleagues noticed something odd. As they have assumed that the tree was hollow, they were half right. Since it’s hollow, sunlight should be able to pass through the trunk from both ends.
However, it wasn’t the case for the peculiar log. That means, it wasn’t all that hollow, or something might have stuck inside.
People who took a glance at the tree told that it was like looking at a black hole. They described the experience as fascinating as it is exciting. Everyone on-site mistook the thing as a stem growing inside the hollow part.
However, things are about to get weirder.
As the loggers exchanged puzzling looks while trying to figure out what could have blocked the light from passing through the log. However, they can only think of one way. Who will go inside the hollow space? Tensions are getting high within the woodcutters.
No one is willing to volunteer. While they all agreed that it’s not anything dangerous, everyone is hesitant who will do the task.
The workers soon reached a stalemate. Luckily, one of them offered to do extra work. The volunteer bravely bent down and tried to go inside the hollow trunk. The moment of truth is about to unfold.
Not long after the volunteer went for a look inside the log, he jumped back out with a scream. Everyone was startled. The volunteer couldn’t even bring himself together. In fact, he can't explain what he saw.
His colleagues were all over him waiting for him to get himself together. When he finally caught his breath, he just stood frozen and pale. Meanwhile, his co-workers were curious as to what had caused the shock. When he was able to speak, he told them he thought he saw a monster inside. Everyone on site can’t believe what they’re hearing.
In fact, they immediately stopped working. It’s not a common sight to see these strong men scared in the middle of the day. But the confusion surely got the better of them that day.
Other loggers in the area quickly came to take a look. Immediately, you can see that everyone is puzzled.
Everyone has the same question, how exactly did that thing get there? The horrific scene was the first of its kind. They weren’t expecting that they would uncover something that only scientists could work on.
The workers knew instantly that the log is unusable. They considered the log as a loss of their work.
But they’re aware that whatever that thing is, it’s absolutely valuable. The first thing that came to their minds, is to call their manager. However, the manager instructed them to focus on their work and fulfill their quota.
From first glance, the thing inside the tree looked like a monster that was about to jump out. While others thought it was a vicious canine because of its teeth. The differing opinions never came to an end but one thing everyone agrees on, it used to be a living being. However, it isn’t alive anymore.
But everyone is sure that it was stuck inside the tree for a while. The people in the area got curios to an alarming level. Actually, everyone is eager to know what exactly is the thing stuck inside the tree.
The creature’s position indicates that it struggled to move forward but it was unable to do so. It was frozen inside the tree’s hollow space. Everyone is wondering what happened to the creature.
Unanswered questions started to pile up. But the biggest clue was the teeth of the creature. After they got to take a closer look at multiple times, they were convinced about what it was.
The creature inside the tree has a long snout with sharp teeth. The paws were also distinguishable.
Thankfully, the creature was close to the top of the trunk and its essential features were visible. Everything fell into place when the workers agreed that the creature was a dog.
While people are making all kinds of assumptions, the majority is convinced that it was a dog. How did a dog end up mummified inside a tree? The dog wasn’t mummified. The process was purely natural.
The dog got stuck and died in there. Surprisingly, it was preserved and in very good condition.
The workers were convinced that the creature was a pooch. The questions why it got there in the first place started to pile up. Is it trying to hide? Why was it hiding?
Who was it hiding from? However, one thing is sure. They have to set their curiosity aside and finish the day’s tasks. Only after that would they be able to decide what to do with the unusable trunk.
The loggers agreed that leaving the trunk would affect their day’s wages. But they're also convinced that it was too valuable to cut into pieces.
Fortunately, everyone agreed not to cut it any further. They soon realized that they made a wise decision. In fact, they were able to learn a valuable lesson about human life.
After completing their task for the day, the loggers carried the trunk to the car.
They thought only of a place where all their questions would be given answers. Although they were not able to find the answer to what happened to the dog, they were committed to finding out why.
Everyone knew that only scientists could give them the answer. However, they realized that choosing scientists would prove to be a very long shot. It turned out scientists will be able to provide the answer for more than a year. In 1981, scientists were able to come up with the answers.
The workers were relieved that the mystery will be resolved. But the fact remains that they were saddened about what really happened to the dog.
The Southern Forest World is located in Waycross, Georgia. The museum is under the Southeastern United States Industry of Forestry. They have a collection of wood production memoirs.
It ranges from colonial America to modern farming techniques. They agreed that the artifact belongs to the people. Moreover, they decided that the museum is the best place for the dog.
The museum officials decided to inaugurate when the Southern Forest World received the artifact. They knew that the exhibition would be successful. They need a backstory for that to happen.
The only story they have is it was discovered by the loggers. They sought the help of a biological anthropologist named Kristina Killgrove. She came to the museum to help establish the story.
It was thanks to Kristina and her expertise that the mystery was finally solved. The advice and information she provided were instrumental. Although she earlier confirmed that the dog was mummified, she later dismissed the observation saying that it’s not possible. The biological anthropologist from the University of West Florida has the exact explanation.
Kristina broke down the information into bits and pieces. She said the process of decaying tissues starts to decompose when microbes eat the tissues when the animal dies. She said, “They grow, they reproduce, and they start taking over the body.”
It turned out that Chestnut trees contain tannin and desiccant. These are organic substances that are able to absorb moisture. In fact, these are distinct characteristics of the chestnut trees. Notably, it prevented the natural process of decomposition.
That's the reason why the dog was preserved in such good shape. Because there was no moisture, the microbes were unable to decompose the body tissues. It’s only half of the explanation. The other question was, where are the scavengers that could’ve gotten to the dead dog?
According to the museum director, Bertha Sue Dixon, “Anything that would eat dead flesh would never know he was in the tree.” That’s because the absence of microbes prevented the body from decomposing therefore flesh-eaters will not be able to catch its scent.
Additionally, even if there is a smell, it would be blown off through the hollow trunk which no scavenger can get close to.
According to the museum's investigation, the dog is a hunting dog. It was probably chasing something inside the tree.
They confirmed that the dog died in 1960 while it was chasing either a raccoon or a squirrel. It got stuck deep inside the hole that it was unable to get off the trunk.
While the artifact was popularly known as “the Mummified Dog”, finally he was named “Stuckie.” The name came up after it won in a naming contest. Three names were selected, Stuckie, Chipper, and Dogwood.
But “Stuckie” was the winner. However, there is sad news. People are starting to raise questions about whether the body should be displayed for visitors or it should be buried in its resting place.
Because the dog became the main attraction at the museum, it was getting difficult to decide. Letting him go will be a big move for the museum officials. The museum decided that the dog should remain on display to help raise awareness for local kids.
Even if the people feel sorry for Stuckie, the story just kept on getting intriguing. The final decision is to keep him in the museum at least for a few more decades.