The original oak fell on the evening of October 9, 1942, following a long period of decline. Its poor condition had been known for years, and within days of its collapse, a move was under way to replace the fallen tree with a "son" grown from one of its acorns.[19] One account suggests that the tree had actually died several years before its collapse, the victim of root rot.[17] The tree was over 100 feet (30 m) tall, and was estimated to be between 150 and 400 years old when it fell.[15][16] It has been reported elsewhere that the tree fell on December 1, 1942, succumbing not to old age and disease but rather to a violent windstorm that ravaged much of north Georgia that evening, causing widespread damage and killing several people.[20] While it is possible that some portion of the tree had remained standing for several weeks, meeting a dramatic end at the hands of a killer storm, only the earlier date is supported by newspaper accounts. It is not known why the tree was not dated by counting its rings.