Oak tree seen in ‘Shawshank Redemption’ is knocked down

MANSFIELD, Ohio – A tree that became a popular attraction for its role in the movie “The Shawshank Redemption” has fallen.

High winds last week apparently downed the 200-year-old white oak tree, which had split during a storm in 2011, said Jodie Snavely, of the Mansfield and Richland County Convention and Visitors Bureau in Ohio.

The tree is featured in one of the final scenes of the 1994 film. The movie, based on a Stephen King novella, stars Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. It’s underneath the tree that Freeman’s character finds an important letter buried by Robbins’ character.

The tree sits on private property, but fans could view it from a nearby state park. It’s a featured stop in a series places in north-central Ohio related to the film.

Snavely said the bureau was informed Friday about the downed tree. And since then, the office has gotten calls and messages from people wanting to preserve the wood or repurpose it in some way.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen to it,” she said Monday. “We hope the owner utilizes it for the good of the ‘Shawshank’ fans.”