08/24/2026
A great story to share that also happens to coincide with our current Fall growing season!
If you are thinking about planting or about to plant new trees on your property, and want them to do as well as this gorgeous Liberty Elm, please visit the West Windsor Shade Tree Commission's webpage for all things trees!
From videos on proper tree planting and proper pruning, to the selection of tree species, selecting a contractor, to the USDA's "Tree Owner Manual", the page is full of invaluable resources! Your tree(s) will thank you!!
Visit: https://www.westwindsortwp.gov/government/boards_committees/shade_tree_commission/index.php
DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WEST WINDSOR'S "LIBERTY TREE?" 🌳
Near the three flagpoles at Rogers Arboretum is an American elm surrounded by mulch and benches (see Google Maps pin below). There's a sign below it, posted by Troop 40 scout Noah Wolfe in 2014, designating it as a "Liberty Tree."
This is not the original liberty tree, however. The very first one was a specific elm tree in Boston, Massachusetts. On Aug. 14, 1765, near the start of the American Revolution, a group of revolutionaries hanged an effigy of a stamp distributor from its branches to protest the Stamp Act. This act turned the tree into a central staging ground for public meetings and protests. Soon, other colonies established their own Liberty Trees, turning the living symbol into a network of resistance.
The tree represented freedom, self-governance, and colonial defiance. Recognizing its symbolic power, British soldiers and Loyalists cut the Boston tree down in Aug. 1775. However, this act only cemented the Liberty Tree’s symbolic power throughout the Revolution and beyond.
In the centuries since, countless other “Liberty Trees” have been planted across the nation as a continuation of this history. West Windsor's was planted around 2013/2014 and Noah soon installed the surrounding benches, interpretive sign, and landscaping for his Eagle Project. However, the sign's not in great shape anymore (the years have taken a toll), so perhaps a quick service project can restore it...
More history: https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/boston-liberty-tree
GOOGLE MAPS PIN: https://maps.app.goo.gl/M6aATzTxkPcSV8Qq8