The Liberty Tree sapling commemorating America's coming 250th anniversary, planted in Central Park in May but failing to thrive, will be replaced, Honesdale Councilor James Hamill said at the July 22 council session.
The tree planting is a project of America250PA, the Pennsylvania-wide portion of the nationwide celebration. As part of the preparations leading up to the 250th anniversary in 2026, a goal of America250PA is to plant a Liberty Tree in each of the 67 counties.
The tulip poplar tree was planted in time for a ceremony held May 19, attended by representatives of America250PA, the Freemasons, Wayne County Historical Society, the borough and others.
More: Liberty Tree planted in Honesdale's Central Park for America's 250th anniversary
Unfortunately, the sapling, protected within a wire fence and with a small plaque at the base, failed to live a week. HNB Community Foundation had sponsored the $2,000 for the special sapling, a descendant of the last of the original Liberty Trees that became symbols of the American Revolution.
Historical Society representatives met on site with Hamill in July about the status of replacing the tree. Hamill chairs the Borough Parks & Recreation Committee. Hamill told the council that a new sapling will be planted after the summer season or next year.
Interim Borough Manager Kevin Kundratic said, “Part of this issue was there were many different folks involved in caring for the tree, and I think, over-cared for... but we will make sure to make it the borough’s responsibility going forward.”
Historical Society Executive Director Carol Dunn said that America250PA will replace the sapling at no charge. She said it is important to plant it when the leaves are dormant.
The Sons of Liberty often gathered under the original trees that came to be known as Liberty Trees during the American Revolutionary War. In 1775, the British destroyed a symbolic Liberty Tree in Boston. According to America250PA, this did not stop revolutionaries throughout the 13 colonies from using these trees to meet.
A Liberty Tree standing on the campus of St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland, survived until 1999, when it was severely damaged by Hurricane Floyd. Landscaper Mark Mehnert rescued and propagated this historical Liberty Tree, a tulip poplar. Seedlings from the graft of this original Liberty Tree are being planted across Pennsylvania as part of The Liberty Tree Project, America250PA reports.
District Deputy Grand Master Donald W. Roa of the 14th Masonic District Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania stated that the tulip poplar can grow to 100 feet tall and 100 feet wide.
The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania is partnering with America250PA because Freemasons and the Masonic Fraternity were prominent during the Revolutionary War, Roa noted.
Peter Becker has worked at the Tri-County Independent or its predecessor publications since 1994. Reach him at pbecker@tricountyindependent.com or 570-253-3055 ext. 1588.
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Liberty Tree sapling in Honesdale to be replaced by America250PA after failure to thrive
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