Pointe Coupee officials are looking for a stolen sign marking a centuries-old tree that inspired legendary Louisiana author Ernest Gaines. 

The Pointe Coupee Sheriff's Office said the historical marker identifying the "Miss Jane Pittman Oak" was stolen recently. The parish government is offering a $500 reward for information that leads to the recovery of the sign or the arrest of the thief.

The tree itself is believed to be about 400 years old and served as partial inspiration for 'The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.' Historians say Gaines regularly walked past the oak tree, nestled along LA 16 in Lakeland, on his way to the grocery store. 

In 2008, state officials considered cutting down the historic oak because its low-hanging branches posed a potential threat to passing cars. But the state ultimately relented amid pushback from Gaines and other activists, opting instead to trim the branches.