MADISON, Wis. -- An April snowstorm brought down a 100-year-old tree.

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People don't usually think of a tree as a landmark, but people WISC-TV spoke with said the tree was a sort of a historical record for the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

A European larch tree, the centerpiece of the university's Allen Centennial Gardens, fell on Wednesday. The tree was transplanted from Door County back in 1899 when it was only 2 feet tall.

It was named after Emmett S, Goff, a professor of horticulture.

"The Goff larch is important because it's a symbol of the growth and emergence of the University of Wisconsin from a very young, small, under-funded entity to a world-class research institution," said Bill Hoyt, a gardener at Allen Centennial Gardens.

The gardener said he will have to redesign the rest of the garden to make up for the loss.

The tree was a fairly common stop for elementary school field trips and for weddings in the Centennial Garden.

The tree had uniquely contorted branches that pointed down instead of up. Gardeners said they have tried to cut the branches to point up, but they wouldn't grow normally and no one seems to know why.

To read about other historic trees on campus, visit this Web site.