although damaged by lightning in 1840, the tree continued to stand as a landmark until 1905. in 1903 workmen repairing a culvert near the tree had caused what later proved to be irreversible sea-water damage to its roots. william randolph hearst bought the plot of land on which the tree stood with the intention of asking congress to cede further land to construct a memorial park around the tree and preserve it from future intrusions. however, in july 1904 the tree was declared dead, and a year later it was cut down and thrown into monterey bay.