It was like a chainsaw. They just cut it off from the roots,” said Leslie Gordon, author of a children’s book about the landmark called “The Homeless Christmas Tree.”
“It makes me feel horrible,” Gordon said. “I don t know who would do that. I don t know why they d do that. There s just no good reason for it.
Adding to the mystery: A nearby bench also was removed, and the grass in the area appears freshly cut.
Only a few ornaments remain on the ground.
The Texas Department of Transportation owns the land but says it s not aware of any activities in that area that would have involved those items being disturbed or removed.