Tom Gaskins and his Cypress Knee Museum

Here you will find things related to Tom Gaskins and his incredible Cypress Knee Museum.

If you arrived at this page through a search engine or link, make sure to also check out my other cypress knees, on my

A man named Tom Gaskins started an amazing museum of cypress knees in Palmdale, Florida. He passed away in 1998. His son, Tom Gaskins Jr. attempted to keep the museum open, but it is unfortunately closed now due to vandalism and theft. I never had the chance to see it, but from what I've read, it sounded pretty fantastic. This inspired me to create an online museum displaying items related to him and his Cypress Knee Museum so that they would never be forgotten. Check out the links below to learn more about him and the museum:

Unused oversized postcard (6 1/2 X 9"), date unknown, but says it requires a 3-cent stamp and phone number for publisher is only 5 digits. "Florida Cypress Knees, artistic Masterpieces of Nature...The Form of a Cypress Knee has been shaped by Nature. Offspring of the Cypress Tree, growing in the swamps of Florida, each Knee is so different from another: forms of mystic, portraits, symbols, curves of Dinosaurs, the crouching shapes of primal Eves...Thomas Gaskins, who discovered this hidden beauty, now a valuable collector's item, shows the finest collection of Cypress Knees in his Cypress Knee Museum near Palmdale, Florida, where this picture was taken. Explaining the form of the 6 knees of this photo, he calls them (from left to right): "Chinese Buddha," "Madonna and Child," "St. Joseph," "Gazelle," "Hand," "Poker-face."	Unused oversized postcard (6 1/2 X 9"), date unknown, but says it requires a 3-cent stamp and phone number for publisher is only 5 digits. "A FLORIDA CYPRESS KNEE: A Masterpiece of nature is this rare cypress knee. This knee was found on Fish-eating Creek by Thomas Gaskins, the man who started the Cypress Knee Industry. This Cypress Knee is the rarest and most unusual among the many superb knees on display in The Thomas Gaskins Cypress Knee Museum, on U.S. 27 Highway, at Palmdale, Fla. This strange beauty is 50" tall, is probably two or three thousand years old. Look close and you may see, among other things, Mrs. Hippopotamus wearing a Carmen Miranda hat..." Color photo by Ernest C. Graham
Unused postcard, date unknown "This magnificent cypress knee is considered the most outstanding specimen in Tom Gaskins Cypress Knee Museum of rare cypress knees. It is 53 inches tall, at least 1000 years old, and many say resembles a lady hippopotamus wearing a Carmen Miranda hat. This famous collection began in 1934 by the originator of the cypress knee industry."	Unused postcard, date unknown "How would you describe this Cypress Knee? Words fail me. His name is Bona Lisa. His home is the Tom Gaskins Cypress Knee Museum on U.S. 27 west of Lake Okeechobee, Palmdale, Fla., 33944. Originator of the Cypress Knee Industry. On your map."
Unused postcard, date unknown "Some of the characters in the collection of rare cypress knees in Tom Gaskins Cypress Knee Museum: Seal, Hand, Joe Stalin, F.D.R., Dog, Squirrel and Elephant. These are natural formations in wood. The collection was begun in 1934 by Tom Gaskins, originator of the Cypress Knee Industry."	Unused postcard printed in November 1955 "The swamp walk in Fisheating Creek swamp at Tom Gaskins' Cypress Knee Museum."
Unused postcard, date unknown "The 2000 foot catwalk in a beautiful, wild, virgin cypress swamp. The catwalk meanders by the world's first experiments in controlling growth in cypress knees, which began in 1938."	Unused postcard, date unknown "Cypress Knees drying on railroad at world's first Cypress Knee factory, Factory and catwalk in Cypress Swamp part of Tom Gaskins Cypress Knee Museum on U.S. Highway 27, Palmdale, Fla. 33944, Fisheating Creek Campground nearby."
Unused postcard, date unknown "Cypress in the Swamp --- Cypress is the only tree with knees. No one knows why. See these masterpieces of nature at Tom Gaskins Cypress Knee Museum west of Lake Okeechobee on U.S. 27, Palmdale, Fla., 33944. World's largest collection, Cypress knees begun in 1934. From 23 states. Originator of Cypress Knee Industry. On your map."	Unused Postcard, date unknown "This 2,000-foot catwalk in beautiful, wild, virgin Fisheating Creek Swamp meanders past the world's first experiments in controlling Cypress Knees' growth by the originator of the Cypress Knee Industry in 1934. Fisheating Creek campground nearby. Tom Gaskins Cypress Knee Museum west of Lake Okeechobee on U.S. 27, Palmdale, Fl., 33944."

Used postcard with 4-cent stamp, dated 2-15-63

"Canoeing amidst moss festooned cypress on beautiful Fish-eating Creek near Tom Gaskins Cypress Kneeland at Palmdale, Florida.

Color Photo by Robert F. Wasman"

gaskins postcard drying knees.jpg (113651 bytes)

Postcard mailed in 1974

"Cypress Knees drying and suntanning on the Cypress Knee Railroad at Tom Gaskins Cypress Knee Museum."

Unused postcard, date unknown (before 1951 since it says on back to use 1-cent stamp)

Not a Gaskins postcard, but is cypress-knee related

On the back, the postcard states the following:

Animal or Vegetable?

-This hideous object suggestive of "Cerberus" of ancient Mythology or "The Hound of the Baskervilles" of modern fiction, is an unusual form of vegetable growth occasionally found at the foot of the cypress tree and locally called cypress "knees."

-This specimen, blackened by age, which may well be over 200 years was found near Lakeland by an early pioneer---passed on thru several generations to its present ownership.

-Note traces of bullet marks in neck indicating that early hunters were deceived by its weird resemblance to some living quadruped.

"C.T. Photo-Colorit," made only by Curt Teich & Co., Inc., Chicago, U.S.A.

If you have any pictures of Tom, Tom Jr., the museum (open or closed) or anything else Gaskins-related, please send them to me at kozmic3@yahoo.com and I will post them for all to enjoy (and give you credit, of course).

These photographs were taken by Jenn Mesk in April 2003. At this time, all of the signs that had been scattered along US-27 had been gathered and taken back to the museum. One can imagine how much fun it must have been traveling along the road, reading all of Tom's creative signs on the way to the museum.

These photographs were taken by Rocky Stio on March 1, 2006, after the museum had been closed for about four years. One can see how it was set up, although no knees are displayed in the glass cases.

Tom Gaskins stallion 8 1/2" tall Natural finish	Tom Gaskins old man with cane 10 3/4" tall Natural finish
Tom Gaskins knee 10 1/4" tall Natural finish	Tom Gaskins Cypress Knee Museum face (1st view) 5" tall Natural finish
Tom Gaskins Jr. rabbit 9" tall Natural finish	Tom Gaskins Cypress Knee Museum tall knee 13" tall
Tom Gaskins Jr. lumpy knee 6" tall Natural finish
Tom Gaskins Cypress Knee Museum tall cave 13 3/4" tall
Tom Gaskins Jr. Hand giving peace sign 7 1/4" tall light varnish?