The Shawshank tree was a

white oak The genus ''Quercus'' contains about 500 species, some of which are listed here. The genus, as is the case with many large genera, is divided into subgenera and sections. Traditionally, the genus ''Quercus'' was divided into the two subgenera ''C ...

located near Malabar Farm State Park in

Monroe Township, Richland County, Ohio Monroe Township is one of the eighteen townships of Richland County, Ohio, United States. It is a part of the Mansfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. The 2020 census found 2,731 people in the township. Geography Located in the southeastern ...

, United States, near Lucas, that was featured in the 1994 motion picture ''

The Shawshank Redemption ''The Shawshank Redemption'' is a 1994 American drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont, based on the 1982 Stephen King novella ''Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption''. It tells the story of banker Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), w ...

''. The tree was at least tall and approximately 180 to 200 years old. It played a central role in the film's plot and was one of the most popular tourist sites connected to it. The tree was split by lightning on July 29, 2011, and was eventually knocked down by strong winds on or around July 22, 2016.

History

The tree was a major tourist attraction for fans of the film, although located on private property at Malabar Farm. It formed part of "The Shawshank Trail" which features many of the film's iconic locations and attracts up to 35,000 visitors annually. The farm where the tree was located is sometimes used as a venue for weddings. On July 29, 2011, half of the tree fell due to trunk rot from ants after being hit by lightning. News of the event was widely shared, appearing in news outlets in the United Kingdom and India. The tree's fate was uncertain at the time, and officials were pessimistic about its chances of survival, but it was found to be alive. The tree was further damaged in July 2016 due to strong winds. The event caused a major increase in Internet traffic to the Mansfield and Richland County Convention and Visitors Bureau website and general interest in the Shawshank Trail. The remaining portions of the tree were cut down on April 9, 2017, by the property's owner. The remains of the tree were turned into ''The Shawshank Redemption'' merchandise including rock hammers and magnets that were first sold during the 2017 Shawshank Hustle, an annual 7k featuring filming sites along the race route.

Role in film

Though the film is set in Maine, much of the filming took place in

Mansfield, Ohio Mansfield is a city in and the county seat of Richland County, Ohio, United States. Located midway between Columbus and Cleveland via Interstate 71, it is part of Northeast Ohio region in the western foothills of the Allegheny Plateau. The ci ...

, and nearby locations. The oak appears near the end of ''The Shawshank Redemption'' when Red (played by

Morgan Freeman Morgan Freeman (born June 1, 1937) is an American actor, director, and narrator. He is known for his distinctive deep voice and various roles in a wide variety of film genres. Throughout his career spanning over five decades, he has received ...

) follows clues left by Andy Dufresne (played by

Tim Robbins Timothy Francis Robbins (born October 16, 1958) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for portraying Andy Dufresne in the film '' The Shawshank Redemption ''(1994), and has won an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards for his rol ...

) to its location. Red finds a box buried at the base of a stone wall in the shade of the oak. The box contains a letter from Andy and cash to buy a bus ticket to join him in Mexico. In the film, Andy describes the tree as "like something out of a

Robert Frost Robert Lee Frost (March26, 1874January29, 1963) was an American poet. His work was initially published in England before it was published in the United States. Known for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American collo ...

poem". The oak has been described as among the most iconic trees in film history.

References

{{reflist 2010s individual tree deaths Individual oak trees Individual trees in Ohio Richland County, Ohio