ABILENE – The Eisenhower Presidential Library has a new piece of history on display.

It took an Ice Storm and nearly 60 years but President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s request for the removal of a tree at Augusta National Golf Club was fulfilled in February of last year.

Eisenhower became a member at Augusta National in 1948 and for years had a problem with one tree, as many golfers did, that lined the left side of the 17th fairway.

Finally In 1956, during his Presidency, he attended a club meeting, asking to have the tree cut down according to William Snyder, The Curator of the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum.

“Since his topic wasn’t on the agenda the Club Chairman stood up and said, ’You’re out of order,’ and promptly adjourned the meeting that way he didn’t have to tell the President of the United States, No!

But they effectively did tell him no and it took another 60 years before the tree came down,” said Snyder.

Following the meeting in 1956 the tree then became known as “The Eisenhower Tree,” and was not removed until it was killed during the February ice storm of 2014.

Augusta National worked with the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum to preserve two slices of the tree that are now on display at both the Golf Club in Georgia and the Library in Abilene.