By Melanie Vargas, SCSU Journalism student
During the Revolutionary War, loyalist and British soldiers burned down the Liberty Tree, a tree in Boston that had long been a rallying point for patriots. Now the National Society Sons of the American Revolution is planting 250 new Liberty Trees across the country in honor of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
One of those trees was planted outside the Stratford Historical Society in October.
“The Sons of the American Revolution honors our Revolutionary War patriot ancestors by promoting patriotism, serving our communities, and educating and inspiring future generations about the founding principles of our country,” Chris Bandecchi, president of General David Humphreys Branch CTSSAR, said at the planting ceremony on Oct. 25, 2025.
The Liberty tree – famous for being an Elm Tree – stood near the Boston Commons years before the American Revolution.
“In 1765, colonists in Boston staged the first act of defiance against the British government at the tree,” Brian Burland, a member of the General David Humphreys Branch and the state board of CTSSAR, said. “The ground surrounding it became known as Liberty Hall. In 1775, the British had enough of these rebellious rallies at the Liberty Tree, and have it cut down.”
Timothy Wilkins, past General David Humphreys Branch No. 1 president and CTSSAR second vice president, said that planting this tree will help show the importance from many years ago when patriots used it for communication and planning.
“We feel that by planting a liberty tree that it will help educate the public of the importance of the American Revolution and the sacrifices that were made to become our nation,” Wilkins said.
Now, the Liberty Tree represents a symbol of the Revolutionary War. Wilkins said liberty is “fragile” and society has to always be “aware of what sacrifices were made by the veterans before us.”
The plaque for the Stratford Liberty Tree says: “Recognizing the 250th anniversary American Independence, 1776-2026, Gen. David Humphrys CTSSAR & Stratford Historical Society, Honoring Joseph Knap, Dedicated October 25, 2025.”
Joseph Knap is on the plaque because of his part in Town Council and assisting in wartime services. The Liberty Tree dedication is for all soldiers that served in the Revolutionary War who lived in Stratford, CT.
Wilkins hopes the Liberty Tree can be an inspiration to the future generations when they see the plaque. The importance of the planting is to show that people “should never give up on our freedom” and to “fight for them all the time.”
The CTSSAR plans to plant 17 trees in Connecticut before July 4.
Wilkins said: “[The Liberty Tree] resonates with us because the [soldiers] before us gave up so much and a lot of them became poor paupers at the end of it or they lost their lives or lost all their fortune. They gave us everything to have our freedom today. It’s precious.”
Melanie Vargas, a journalism student at Southern Connecticut State University, reported this story in 2025 as part of Journalism Capstone coursework on the Revolutionary War.