AUBURN, Ala.– Almost four years to the day that the old trees at Toomer’s Corner were poisoned, new live oaks were planted in their place.
The 35-foot oaks were brought in on two separate flatbed trucks and lifted by crane into their new spots on the corner of College and Magnolia. The turnout was impressive, with fans cycling in from the scheduled arrival and planting time that morning 8 a.m. to 1 p.m when the trees were firmly in the Auburn soil. Onlookers wore t-shirts printed for the occasion, took photographs with family and friends in front of the new trees, and bought lemonade at Toomer’s Drugs. The fans applauded when each tree was hoisted from the truck to its corner, then celebrated again as the crane unhooked from the new oaks and left them in place to establish their roots.
While the trees aren’t able to be rolled in celebration until 2016, the healthy, growing oaks fill the hole that existed for too long.
After years of being absent, the thousands on hand were finally able to celebrate the return of a major part of Auburn’s identity.
Enjoy this time-lapse video of the trees being planted, courtesy of the Auburn University student newspaper, The Plainsman.
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