One of the most famous campus landmarks was the Marshall Beech Tree in front of Old Main. It stood strong and tall for years. Marshall's first alumni director, John Sayre, left and Botany Professor Lewis Plymale check the girth of the famous beech tree. It was said to be no more than 300 years old. This tree was located on the same land Marshall Academy stood back in 1837. The bark contained more than 300 initials and marks. It was struck by lightning in the late 1980s.