126

Corkscrew Tree

Here is a Ripley

‘

s

―

Believe it or Not

‖

cocktail napkin - the

―

Cork Screw Tree near

Saucier, Miss.

‖

Diana Borzik related these details:

―

I have a photo that was taken about 1939 with my Uncle Louis Borzik standing

in the center of the tree. The Corkscrew Tree was located on what was then the

Borzik family

‘

s land (80 acres). My Uncle John Borzik found the tree while

hunting and he is the one that took the photo and Aunt Mary Borzik sent it to

what was then the newspaper art column,

―

Ripley

‘

s Believe It or Not

‖

in

The

Daily Herald.

The news feature apparently was so popular that The Corkscrew Tree was used

in novelties (such as the napkins). Both my Uncles & my Aunt said they were

disappointed in the drawing that Ripley

‘

s used because it didn

‘

t look like the real

tree. Aunt Mary said,

―

But I guess it made us famous for a short time

‖

because

people in nearby communities were tracking across the Borzik land to get a look

at the tree.

The tree was located on the bank of the Big Biloxi River about 2 miles south of

the Saucier- Lizana Road. The Borzik land was located on the Biloxi River about

2 miles west of Old Highway 49.

―