Under its branches

The Liberty Tree, situated between the Hall of Presidents and the Liberty Tree Tavern in Liberty Square, carries with it a great deal of history. So much so, that the Magic Kingdom’s Liberty Tree has become the symbol of Disney’s Horticulture. For the greatest source of information on the Liberty Tree, however, guests need look no further than the plaque and sign located near the tree itself.

“The original Liberty Tree, a stately elm, was a rallying point for pre-revolutionary activities. The open space under its branches was call ‘Liberty Hall’ and a flag pole was erected through its branches with a hoisted flag the symbol for action.

“Countless inflammatory cartoons and verses were nailed to its trunk and many Tories hung in effigy from its branches. Perhaps its proudest moment was the repeal of the Stamp Act when innumerable lanterns blazed among its branches for all to see.”

“Under the boughs of the original Liberty Tree in Boston in 1765, Patriots, calling themselves ‘The Sons of Liberty,’ gathered to protests the imposition of the stamp act. In the years that followed, almost every American town had a Liberty Tree -- a living symbol of the American freedom of speech and assembly.

“Our Liberty Tree is a Southern Live Oak, Quercus virginiana, more than 100 years old.”