Liberty Tree planted at Crown Point Country Club Springfield Garden Club donates Princeton Elm

On the afternoon of Tuesday, June 30 more than 60 people gathered to celebrate the planting of a “Liberty Tree” by the Springfield Garden Club. This event was part of a larger effort to plant 250 Liberty Trees across the nation by July 4th, the 250th anniversary of the birth of our nation.

This story begins in 1775 in Boston, Mass., where patriots would gather beneath an old elm tree known as the Liberty Tree near Boston Common to discuss their dissatisfaction with British rule. The British sought to disrupt these gatherings and cut the tree down in August of that year. That, obviously, did not deter the patriots who went on to defeat the British in the Revolutionary War that involved the Crown Point Road.

Skip to 2023 when the Sons of the American Revolution formed the 250th SAR Liberty Tree Program with the goal of planting 250 disease-resistant Princeton elm trees with at least one in every state. As of today, 325 Liberty Trees have been planted in 47 states. The tree in Springfield is the 291st tree to be recorded and one of only three in the state of Vermont.

Just this spring, SGC member Karen Jarret notified the garden club about the Liberty Tree project. They enthusiastically embraced the project and quickly formed an ad hoc committee. In trying to decide where to install it, the Crown Point Country Club came to mind as the historic Crown Point Road passes through it and the site was accessible to the public. The CPCC graciously agreed to welcome the tree on its premises. The tree was ordered through Woodbury Florist, which planted it on June 7  near Crown Point Road marker #14.

During the June 30 dedication ceremony, Mike Martin said that the country club is honored to be the permanent home of the Liberty Tree. He then introduced the SGC President Adrienne Faulhaber, who led the program. Also in attendance were members of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce,  the Charlestown, NH VFW, Fort No. 4, the Daughters of the American Revolution,  the Rockingham Historic Preservation Society, the Crown Point Road Association and local veterans.

She told the crowd that, “Today, we are celebrating the planting of a new Liberty Tree to honor the legacy of this Crown Point Road and the history here, and to honor all of the veterans who have answered the call to serve and protect our freedoms and rights as citizens.” Tim O’Hearne from the Charlestown VFW then led everyone in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance while re-enactors in costume from Fort No. 4, Eric and Barbara Bye, held up a 1776 era flag.

Jeff Taft-Dick, an unofficial CPCC historian and SGC member, gave a brief history of the Crown Point Road and noted that Leland Lawrence, a founding member of the CPCC, suggested that the CPCC be named after the historical road. Taft-Dick also told an interesting story about President Eisenhower being given an honorary membership to the CPCC; the president ordinarily did not accept memberships to clubs but made an exception because of the history involved. This was followed by a dedication prayer by Karen Oehl who asked that the act of planting this tree be received as a “pledge of commitment to liberty and justice for all.”

The progress of the Liberty Tree project can be followed by clicking here.