LIBERTY TREES
Celebrating America 250! and Cultivating New Growth
By Elizabeth Mariano Mubarek
Liberty Tree Dedication by the Sequoyah Chapter of the DAR in Georgia. Photo courtesy of Suzanne Harman
"From the east to the west blow the trumpet to arms, Through the land let the sound of it flee, Let the far and the near, all unite with a cheer, In defence of our Liberty Tree."
—Thomas Paine, Liberty Tree
Published in Pennsylvania Magazine, July 1775
The Legacy of the Liberty Tree
In Boston, on the corner of Essex Street and Orange (now Washington) Street, on the city’s main thoroughfare just off the Common, once stood a majestic elm tree. Already more than 100 years old by the dawn of the American Revolution, this stately tree became a gathering place for the early Patriots, bearing witness to meetings, protests, and public demonstrations that helped shape the movement for independence. It overlooked the funeral procession for those killed in the Boston Massacre, and it served as a rallying point for members of the Sons of Liberty as they actively resisted British rule.
By 1765, the Patriots of Boston had begun referring to this great elm as the Liberty Tree. More than simply a landmark, it became a powerful symbol of civic protest, public assembly, and the growing cause of liberty. For over a decade, it stood at the heart of colonial resistance—until August 1775, when British soldiers and Loyalists occupying Boston cut it down in the hope of destroying the spirit it had come to represent.
By then, however, it was too late. The symbolism of the Liberty Tree had already spread far beyond Boston into the other British colonies, where Liberty Trees could eventually be found in dozens of towns throughout all 13 colonies. Rather than extinguishing the movement, the destruction of Boston’s Liberty Tree only strengthened its legacy, inspiring Patriots across America to designate their own trees as gathering places in support of liberty and independence.
The tradition and significance of the Liberty Tree began with the American Revolution and the courageous men and women who fought for freedom, but it did not end there. As our nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of American independence, chapters and state societies of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, together with other civic organizations across the country, are carrying that legacy forward. Through the planting, dedication, and preservation of Liberty Trees as part of America 250!, these projects honor the ideals of the nation’s founders while creating living symbols of patriotism and civic engagement for future generations.
The Washington Crossing Chapter, Yardley, Pennsylvania, dedicates a Liberty Tree. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Wise.
The Captain Molly Corbin Chapter, Grapevine, Texas, celebrates America 250! with the dedication a Liberty Tree. Photo courtesy of Michaelann Bush.
The John Marshall, Corn Island, and Fincastle chapters in Kentucky celebrate the planting of a new Liberty Tree. Photo courtesy of Julia Hood.
DAR Members from the Cradle of Liberty Chapter, Petersburg, Indiana dedicate a new Liberty Tree during America 250!. Photo courtesy of Sandra McBeth.
Growing new symbols of patriotism
Various DAR chapters and state societies and organizations have looked to Liberty Trees as a meaningful way to honor our nation during this significant milestone, resulting in semiquincentennial celebrations and dedications over the course of several months. “July has been really fun. It’s been great to see what all the different states and chapters have been doing in celebration,” said Laura Druker, National Vice Chair for the America 250! Committee, as well as the America 250! co-chair of communications on the Daughters Online Community (DOC). “They are sharing their pictures and their articles to show what they did. It’s been wonderful to see the Liberty Tree Dedications that have been posted in the online community. It’s very clear these are community-oriented events.”
These events have been carefully planned over the course of months and years, and various DAR chapters across the country have approached the events differently. The America 250! Committee of the Rio Grande Chapter, McAllen, Texas was established in 2024. The Liberty Tree events there became a significant community endeavor. “We knew we wanted to dedicate a Liberty Tree because there were none, as far as we knew, in McAllen,” said Mara Lee Moats, Rio Grande Chapter Regent.
The chapter joined forces with McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos and worked closely with the Parks and Recreation Department to dedicate the city’s Liberty Tree on June 22, 2026. “The Liberty Tree represents 250 years of freedom in the United States and is a marker to remind us of our history,” Moats said. “Our chapter plans to honor this special dedicated space in McAllen by providing service for the upkeep and care for the tree, sponsoring Liberty Tree events, and teaching the community about the first Liberty Tree in our country.”
In Kalamazoo, Michigan, the Lucinda Hinsdale Stone Chapter worked with the city’s forestry department to select a tricolor beech tree as its new Liberty Tree, which was planted in Bronson Park. The new tree was planted at the site of an earlier memorial tree honoring the Orcutt Post of the Grand Army of the Republic, the local chapter of Union Civil War veterans. Now that the original tree has died, it is hoped the newly planted Liberty Tree will become a meaningful continuation of that commemorative space. “We think it’s fitting that the Liberty Tree remembers not only the Patriots who sacrificed to establish our nation, but also those who fought to maintain it in the Civil War,” said Karen Woodsworth, past Regent of the Lucinda Hinsdale Stone Chapter and current state librarian for DAR of Michigan.
Working closely with the City of Kalamazoo Parks and Recreation Department, Woodsworth also helped install a plaque at the new Liberty Tree near an already existing plaque commemorating the location of a Liberty Pole that used to stand in the park. The tree dedication, held on April 21, 2024, served as the kickoff event for America 250! celebrations in the county, with the plaque dedication held two years later. “What was especially meaningful about the Liberty Tree plaque dedication ceremony, held on June 14, 2026, was that it took place exactly 113 years after the Liberty Pole plaque was dedicated in 1913,” said Woodsworth. “To our chapter, this Liberty Tree is a representation of our belief in this country. We remember the heroic deeds of the pioneers and patriots of Kalamazoo County, and we respect and admire everyone who is working to make our country a better place both in our county and beyond, and we look to the future.”
Liberty tree honors 1913 Liberty Pole site 113 years later
Lucinda Hinsdale Stone Chapter, michigan
Members of the Lucinda Hinsdale Stone Chapter, Kalamazoo, Michigan, gather at a Liberty Tree dedication ceremony. Photo courtesy of Karen Woodworth.
1913 Liberty Pole Boulder Plaque dedication. Photo courtesy of Karen Woodworth.
Liberty Pole Plaque from 1913. Photo courtesy of Karen Woodworth.
2026 Liberty Tree Plaque. Photo courtesy of Karen Woodworth.
America 250! DAR Chapter Liberty Trees Dedications and Celebrations
The slide deck documents various DAR chapters' Liberty Tree dedication ceremonies. Courtesy of Laura Druker.
The Kentucky Society DAR sets an example for a statewide Liberty Tree initiative. Across the state, there are 83 individual chapters and 4,600 members. The Kentucky Historical Society conceived of a project to plant tulip poplar trees (the state tree of Kentucky) in nearly all of the 120 counties in the state, and the Kentucky Society DAR partnered closely with them to facilitate this vision. “The Department of Forestry was giving every county a tree to plant somewhere in their county,” said Julia Hood, Kentucky State Regent. “The project involved the county judge executives, and they worked within each county to see where to plant the tree. The DAR came in to assist with determining the planting locations, and we conducted dedication ceremonies for each one.”
The Kentucky trees were planted at courthouses, parks, and various other locations in counties all over the state. In Louisville, the tree was planted on April 11, 2026, at the Patriots Peace Memorial, and the DAR was involved in the creation of a commemorative plaque. “For me, I think the Liberty Trees symbolize a remembrance of our Patriot ancestors, as well as being involved in doing something like they did. It brings that history together for me, and I like to think that it’s maybe something that my Patriot did as well—going out to the Liberty Tree,” Hood said.
As America 250! commemorations continue across all 50 states, the Liberty Trees planted throughout the nation will stand as enduring reminders of the unity, resilience, and civic spirit that have shaped the United States since its founding. In communities large and small, these living memorials’ plantings and dedications clearly reflect the mission of NSDAR. As Woodworth eloquently put it: “This project represents the mission of the NSDAR as a whole by preserving our history, offering education on Liberty Trees as a concept, remembering our nation’s first veterans, and inspiring patriotism as we demonstrate a love for our country and our community.”
DAR members may find more information and Liberty Tree resources on the America 250! Committee webpage. P
As America 250! commemorations continue across all 50 states, the Liberty Trees planted throughout the nation will stand as enduring reminders of the unity, resilience, and civic spirit that have shaped the United States since its founding. In communities large and small, these living memorials’ plantings and dedications clearly reflect the mission of NSDAR.
Learn MOre about Liberty trees
- Maloy, Mark. “The Boston Liberty Tree.” American Battlefield Trust. April 22, 2024. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/boston-liberty-tree
- Rockwood, Heather. “The 259th Anniversary of Boston’s Liberty Tree.” Massachusetts Historical Society. August 14, 2024. https://www.masshist.org/beehiveblog/2024/08/the-259th-anniversary-of-bostons-liberty-tree/
- Yurkus, Emily. “Legacy of the Liberty Tree: Where Is It Now in Present-Day Boston?” Revolutionary Spaces. December 2023. https://revolutionaryspaces.org/legacy-liberty-tree/
The Boonesborough and Jemina Boone chapters of Kentucky collaborate to dedicate a Liberty Tree. Photo courtesy of Julia Hood.
September/October 2026
