'Shawshank Redemption' Oak Tree Cut Down Forever

The giant oak tree where Morgan Freeman found Andy's note at the end of "The Shawshank Redemption" was cut down this weekend ... and will probably be made into a table.

A co-owner of the Ohio property where the tree sat decided to pull the trigger ... or fire up the tractor, actually -- to rip up what remained of the 200-year-old oak. It was famously damaged back in 2011 when high winds knocked it over.

It suffered even more damage in a storm last summer.

The owner, Dan Dees, told the Mansfield News-Journal he removed the tree to use the surrounding field for farming. He also said he's gotten offers for parts of the tree, but hasn't made any plans to sell off the lumber.

In fact, the only concrete plans are to "make a table out of it, or a bench."

As Red might put it ... That tree just got busy dying.