Toomer’s Corner is one of Auburn’s most recognizable landmarks. It is where students and fans gather to celebrate, capture photos, and take part in one of college football’s most beloved traditions. But the oak trees that now anchor the corner are not the same ones that stood for generations. The originals were lost to a notorious act of vandalism, and their replacements now stand in their place, continuing a legacy rooted in tradition. The story of these oaks is filled with celebration, loss, and resilience.
“These oak trees are but an outward visible symbol of the Auburn heart,” former athletic director David Housel told Fox Sports.
The original oak trees were planted between 1938 and 1939, growing tall just outside Toomer’s Drugs. Over the decades, they became central to campus life and Auburn spirit. By the 1960s, fans had begun rolling the trees with toilet paper after football victories. The tradition grew, eventually becoming a symbol of Auburn pride, unity, and community.
That changed in 2010. After Auburn’s dramatic Iron Bowl win over Alabama, a man named Harvey Updyke called into The Paul Finebaum Show, a Birmingham-based radio program, and admitted to poisoning the oaks using a powerful herbicide, Spike 80DF. Updyke, a self-identified Alabama fan, said he acted out of spite. Despite years of effort by university horticulturists and experts, the trees could not be saved and were removed in 2013.
New oaks were planted in 2015. In September 2016, one of the trees caught fire after it was rolled. The damage was significant. Out of concern for the trees’ health and safety, Auburn officials made the decision to remove both and replant once again.
The third generation of oaks was planted in 2017, and these are the trees that stand at Toomer’s Corner today. For a time, Auburn fans were asked not to roll the trees at all, to allow their roots to take hold and prevent further stress or damage. Still, the tradition remained alive. Fans rolled nearby power lines or used designated trees along Samford Lawn and College Street instead.
In 2022, after years of careful monitoring and growth, the university officially announced that fans could once again roll the new oaks following home football victories. It was more than just a return to tradition; it was a major moment for the Auburn community. The announcement marked the restoration of one of the most beloved parts of Auburn culture, and the celebration that followed showed how deeply it had been missed.
Auburn is the only city in the country with a specific line item in its municipal budget for toilet paper removal after Toomer’s Corner celebrations. City road crews work early the morning after big wins to clear the area, ensuring the tradition can continue while keeping downtown Auburn clean and safe.
Toomer’s Oaks have seen rivalry, damage, and renewal. Through it all, the tradition has continued in one form or another. Today, when Auburn wins, the trees are once again covered in white, which stands as a powerful reminder that even after loss, some traditions cannot be taken away.
