Allentown's Liberty Tree

History of the Liberty Tree

The Liberty Tree (1646–1775) was a famous elm tree that stood in Boston, Massachusetts near Boston Common in the years before the American Revolution. In 1765, Patriots in Boston staged the first act of defiance against the British government at the tree. The tree became a rallying point for the growing resistance to the rule of Britain over the American colonies, and the ground surrounding it became known as Liberty Hall. The Liberty Tree was felled in August 1775 by Loyalists led by Nathaniel Coffin Jr. or by Job Williams.

In 1765, the British Parliament introduced the Stamp Act, which was directed at Britain's American colonies. It required all legal documents, permits, commercial contracts, newspapers, pamphlets, and playing cards in the American colonies to carry a tax stamp. The act was met with widespread anger in the colonies, and in Boston a group of businessmen calling themselves the Loyal Nine began meeting in secret to plan a series of protests against it.

On August 14, 1765, a crowd gathered in Boston under a large elm tree at the corner of Essex Street and Orange Street to protest the Stamp Act. Hanging from the tree was a straw-stuffed effigy labeled "A. O." for Andrew Oliver, the Secretary of Massachusetts, Boston's appointed stamped-paper distributor, and stamp tax collector. Beside it hung a boot with its sole painted green. This second effigy represented two members of the Grenville ministry who were considered responsible for the Stamp Act: the Earl of Bute (the boot being a pun on "Bute") and George Grenville (the green being a pun on "Grenville"). Peering up from inside the boot was a small devil figure holding a copy of the Stamp Act and bearing a sign that read: "What Greater Joy did ever New England see / Than a Stampman hanging on a Tree!" This was the first public show of defiance against the Crown and spawned the resistance that led to the American Revolutionary War 10 years later.

The tree became a central gathering place for protesters, and the ground surrounding it became popularly known as Liberty Hall. A liberty pole was installed nearby with a flag that could be raised above the tree to summon the townspeople to a meeting. Ebenezer Mackintosh was a shoemaker who handled much of the hands-on work of hanging effigies and leading angry mobs, and he became known as "Captain General of the Liberty Tree." Paul Revere included the Liberty Tree in an engraving, "A View of the Year 1765".

When the Stamp Act was repealed in 1766, townspeople gathered at the Liberty Tree to celebrate. They decorated the tree with flags and streamers and hung dozens of lanterns from its branches when darkness fell. A copper sign was fastened to the trunk which read, "This tree was planted in the year 1646, and pruned by order of the Sons of Liberty, Feb. 14th, 1766." Soon colonists in other towns began naming their own liberty trees, from Newport, Rhode Island to Charleston, South Carolina, and the Tree of Liberty became a familiar symbol of the American Revolution.

Text of the dedication speach for the Allentown Liberty Tree, June 14th 2026.

A while ago the mayor and council tasked the Borough's commissions and committees to come up with ideas for the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. At a Shade Tree meeting Bob Meyer came up with the idea of planting a Liberty Tree. What a novel idea - Shade Tree planting a tree. A winning proposition. We thought we'd plant a tree, have a plaque made up and have a small dedication ceremony. It was then decided on doing it on Flag Day. As a result a small ceremony grew into something larger.

As for Flag Day, we considered putting up a few flags, some bunting and some items on the tree. But thinking about what the flag means is another thing entirely. It is a symbol of how we feel in our hearts about our country and the values we hold dear especially liberty and justice for all.

The Liberty Tree has historically been symbol of how we feel about our country and those shared values. It was decided that it was preferable to have single symbol so as not to distract from the true message of this meeting - the ideal of liberty for all. As this is Shade Tree it shouldn't have come as a surprise that we went with the tree. Actually the Liberty Tree, as a symbol, predates the Revolution by at least 10 years.

During the Colonial period most large towns had an open space often called the Commons or Village Green. These often had a large tree growing in it or on the side of it. People would often meet under the shade of these trees to discuss current events or to just gossip. Boston had a large Elm growing near where the Boston Commons is now which severed as such a meeting place.

In 1765 the British Government, in its infinite wisdom, decided to pass the Stamp Act. The citizens weren't very happy with this new tax. What did they do? The met at the tree to talk about what t o do in response. The hung up posters. The hung up proclamations. They hung up the tax collector. In effigy of course. The hung up the Governor. Also in effigy. They named it the Liberty Tree. This was the first recorded public display of opposition to the British government in the colonies.

The idea spread like wildfire. Soon there were Liberty Trees in many towns, from Providence Rhode Island to Charleston South Carolina. A few years later war broke out and British troops occupied Boston. They didn't like the idea of a Liberty Tree. Like all good autocrats, today they cut off the internet, back then the cut down the tree. In the long term this didn't go well for the British. In the short term it didn't go very well for the Americans. Things were looking grim for the American cause.

In response, Thomas Paine, one of the leading lights of the Revolution (and briefly a resident of Allentown) wrote in his pamphlet The American Crisis, "These are the times that try men's souls". No matter what your political leanings or personal philosophy, I think that most of us can agree that we are in trying times and it is in times like these that it is easy to get so distracted by all that is going on that we lose sight of dream of the founders of our country - liberty for all.

Abraham Lincoln in the middle of some very trying times gave a speech which I believe beautifully expresses what this Liberty Tree dedication is about. I'd like to paraphrase, plagiarize, and otherwise mangle his speech.

250 years ago the people of the 13 colonies came together to create a new country. The foundation of that creation was the desire for liberty for all. We are here to dedicate a Liberty Tree as a symbol of that desire. But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate this Liberty Tree, as those who struggled and died for liberty have already dedicated it far more than we could hope to. Instead it is for us to dedicate ourselves to help fulfill the dreams of the Founders. We should resolve that those who struggled for Liberty should not have struggled in vain—that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

This is what this tree represents. A reminder of the on going struggle to ensure that our country still aspires to fulfilling the dream of the founders - liberty.