Julie Bennett | jbennett@al.com

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David Bundy

Oak Trees at Toomer's Corner Poisoned

On February 16, 2011, Auburn University sent out an email saying that a herbicide commonly used to kill trees was deliberately applied in lethal amounts to the soil around the live oaks at Toomer's Corner in Auburn, Ala., and there was little chance to save the trees. Auburn students and alumni reacted with shock, disbelief and sadness. Read the original report here: Auburn's historic Toomer's Corner oaks poisoned with herbicide, likely to die

Freshman Katie Jones places a roll of toilet paper at the base of a tree as students and supporters gather to pay tribute to live oaks at Toomer's Corner on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011, after word spread that the trees were poisoned recently. Toomer's Corner has long been a site where Auburn fans celebrate big wins, including the football national championship on Jan. 10. (AP Photo/Montgomery Advertiser, David Bundy)

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VASHA HUNT

Tree Killer

This image would burn itself into the hearts and minds of many in the Auburn family in 2011. Alabama fan Harvey Updyke Jr. was sentenced to three years by a Lee County judge Friday after pleading guilty to a charge of criminal damage of an agricultural facility related to the poisoning of the Toomer's Oaks in 2010. Criminal damage of an agricultural facility is a class c-felony, according to the Lee County District Attorney's Office. Updyke used an herbicide, known as Spike 80DF, or tebuthiuron, to poison the oaks after the 2010 Iron Bowl then confused on air on a sports talk radio show. Read more here: Harvey Updyke pleads guilty to poisoning Toomer's Oaks.

ARCHIVED PHOTO- Harvey Updyke walks into court as jury selection continues in his trial Wednesday, June 20, 2012, at the Lee County Justice Center in Opelika, Ala. (AP Photo/Opelika-Auburn News, Vasha Hunt, Pool)

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JULIE BENNETT

A Slow and Painful Demise

For two and a half years, Auburn fans watched their beloved trees die. Maintenance crews lopped off hunks at a time to prevent branches from falling and risking injury and property damage until there wasn't much left of the two famous live oaks. Numerous efforts were made to save the trees, but none were successful. The Auburn City Council approved a resolution in March of 2013 to close the intersection of South College Street and Magnolia Avenue for the removal of the trees and the university set a date to do just that. Fans would have one last chance to say goodbye on A-Day, then the trees would be removed the following Tuesday. Read more: Auburn University plans to remove the Toomer's Oaks on April 23.

The live oak trees at Toomer's Corner shown here. Friday, April 19, 2013, in Auburn, Ala. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

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JULIE BENNETT

Thousands Came to Say Goodbye

Thousands crowded around the intersection of College Street and Magnolia Avenue on A-Day 2013 for the final rolling of the trees. Read more and see more photos here: Auburn University fans pack Toomer's Corner for final rolling of iconic oaks.

Auburn fans bid goodbye to the famous oak trees at Toomer's Corner Saturday, April 20, 2013, in Auburn, Ala. Auburn held it's A-Day spring football game Saturday. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

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Family Tradition: 2013 Toomer's Last Roll

Find out what made the gathering at Toomer's Corner so special to so many fans and alumni. This video was produced as Auburn fans bid goodbye to the famous oak trees at Toomer's Corner Saturday, April 20, 2013, in Auburn, Ala. Auburn held it's A-Day spring football game Saturday. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

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Julie Bennett

Time-lapse of the 2013 Last Roll of Toomer's Corner

Watch Auburn fans bid goodbye to the famous oak trees at Toomer's Corner Saturday, April 20, 2013, in Auburn, Ala. Auburn held it's A-Day spring football game Saturday. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

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JULIE BENNETT

They Came Down, Piece by Piece

The iconic oaks at Toomer's Corner were removed on April 23, 2013. Hundreds of fans and students turned out to witness the removal. Workers made the first cut at 7:22 a.m. By 1:16 p.m., they had removed the last scraps of wood, vacuuming up sawdust and leaving only stumps to guard the school's 1917 gateway. More photos, video and story: Auburn University's iconic oaks removed from Toomer's Corner.

Tree removal workers take down the famous oak trees at Toomer's Corner Tuesday, April 23, 2013, in Auburn, Ala. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

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JULIE BENNETT

How Old Are They?

About a month after the removal, Auburn University officials determined the iconic oaks were between 83 and 85 years old at the time of their cutting. A split in the wood made determining their exact age impossible. Read more: Auburn University determines age of iconic Toomer's oaks.

Auburn University horticulturist Gary Keever counts the rings on one of the famous oak trees at Toomer's Corner after they were cut down Tuesday, April 23, 2013, in Auburn, Ala. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

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JULIE BENNETT

Temporary Solutions

The City of Auburn installed a temporary wire structure at the intersection of College Street and Magnolia Avenue in August 2013 for fans to roll while Toomer's Corner was under rehabilitation. The tradition had been hold for more than three months. Read more: Auburn installs temporary wire structure for fans to roll at Toomer's Corner.

This photo was taken at the intersection of College Street and Magnolia Avenue at Toomer's corner Friday, Aug. 22, 2014, in Auburn, Ala. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

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JULIE BENNETT

Taking Advantage of an Unfortunate Situation

The City of Auburn decided to take advantage of the situation by not only replacing the two oak trees, but revamping the entire intersection. This includes decorative traffic signal poles, new landscaping, adding brick inlaid sidewalks and brick seat walls on all three of the city's corners of the intersection to match what the university already has in place on its corner, raised brick crosswalks on all four sides of the intersection and a new brick inlaid tiger paw in the middle of the intersection. Check out more photos here: Take a look at renovation progress at Toomer's Corner in Auburn.

Toomer's Corner in downtown Auburn, Ala., is still under construction Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2014. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

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JULIE BENNETT

New Eagles for the Nest

In August of 2014, Auburn University installed new eagles atop the gates at Toomer's Corner. They are actually replicas of the original weather-beaten eagles that occupied the posts since the 1960's. More photos: Toomer's Corner welcomes new eagle statues.

Construction crews work to place the new stone eagles on the gates at Toomer's corner Friday, Aug. 22, 2014, in Auburn, Ala. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

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JULIE BENNETT

New Trees on the Block

After a year-long search though more than 9,000 candidates, three new 35-foot-tall live oak trees officially arrived to the Plains from an oak grove in South Carolina to replace the iconic oaks that once stood at Toomer's Corner. Two would be planted on the corner and another would be planted nearby as a standby. Read more from Amber Sutton: New oaks for Toomer's Corner, and a spare, arrive in Auburn for planting.

The new oak trees wait at the Auburn University Facilities Division Friday, Feb. 13, 2015, in Auburn, Ala. The trees will be planted at Toomer's Corner Saturday. (Julie Bennett/ jbennett@al.com)

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JULIE BENNETT

The Beginning of a Comeback

Hundreds of Auburn fans rose before the sun and braved the winter cold on Valentine's Day 2015 witness of the planting of two new live oaks at Toomer's Corner. More photos and video: Auburn fans gather at Toomer's Corner to watch oak trees arrive at new home

Workers plant the one of the two new oak trees on the campus of Auburn University at Toomer's Corner in Auburn, Ala., Friday, Feb. 14, 2015. (Julie Bennett/ jbennett@al.com)

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Amber Sutton | asutton@al.com

Call for Backup

On June 9, Auburn University announced plans to remove one of the trees, which is located in front of Biggin Hall, because it was not showing signs of growth or developing a healthy root system or canopy of trees. The third tree bought along with the Auburn Oaks in February was not the replacement. The college decided to leave that tree in its current place and instead get a new tree from the contractor's stock grove in Florida since the oak is under a one year warranty. Read more from Amber Sutton: Auburn University replaces Toomer's Corner oak along Magnolia Avenue.

Auburn University replaces Auburn Oak at Toomer's Corner along Magnolia Avenue on July 8, 2015. (Amber Sutton)

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JULIE BENNETT

Welcoming the New

Hundreds of Tigers filled the intersection of Magnolia Avenue and College Street to take part in the 2015 A-Day Corner Block Party, which include the dedication event for the Auburn Oaks and a free concert. Read more from Amber Sutton: Hundreds gather in Toomer's Corner for Auburn Oaks dedication ceremony.

The Auburn University Marching Band performs during the Toomer's Corner Block Party and tree dedication after the A-Day game Saturday, April 18, 2015, in Auburn, Ala. (Julie Bennett/ jbennett@al.com)

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JULIE BENNETT

But Still No Roll

Even with all the beautification efforts at Toomer's Corner, a firm "no rolling" policy remained in place for the two new oaks at the intersection. Fans would have to wait at least one more year.

A revamped Toomer's Corner awaits the start of football season Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2015, in Auburn, Ala. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

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JULIE BENNETT

Fresh, New and Ready to Roll

The tradition of rolling the two oak trees at Toomer's Corner following an Auburn victory will return this fall for the first time since it was halted in 2013. More from Amber Sutton: Auburn tradition of rolling Toomer's Corner set to return this fall.

The intersection of College and Magnolia Streets at Toomer's Corner Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, in Auburn, Ala. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)