Legendary 'drive-through' tree knocked down by storms

One of the most famous trees in the world was felled by a huge storm in California this weekend, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The Pioneer Cabin Tree, which was known as a "drive-through" giant sequoia located in Calaveras Big Trees State Park, topped around 2 p.m. on Sunday.

It was believed to be hundreds of years old.

Jim Allday, a volunteer at the park, told SF Gate that the tree "shattered" as soon as it hit the ground.

In the 1880s, the Pioneer Cabin Tree was hollowed out so cars could drive through it.

It was inspired by the Wawona Tunnel Tree, which was killed in the process and fell in a storm in the1960s.

The Pioneer Cabin Tree lived despite being hollowed out, against all odds.

It was closed to vehicle traffic for a while, but hikers still walk through the tree.

Allday shared a heartbroken sentiment about the tree.

"We lost an old friend today. The Pioneer Cabin Tree, or drive-thru tree, succumbed to nature and toppled," he wrote in a post on his Facebook page.

According to Seeker.com, the tree's root system could not withstand the storm that struck California over the weekend.

The heavy rains caused mudslides and flooding throughout the state and in Nevada.