Liberty Tree Dedication
The Symbol of Freedom
Liberty Tree Dedication
On February 8th, 2025, at The Oldest House Museum, we dedicated the St. Augustine Liberty Tree with the DAR Maria Jefferson Chapter!
With Special Thanks:
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SAR St. Augustine Chapter
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Megan Altice, Executive Director
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DAR Maria Jefferson Chapter
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Oldest House Museum & Staff
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Florida Society SAR President, Jim Gaskins
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Florida Sons of Liberty Brigade Guard
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St. Augustine Historical Society
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Dr. Roger Smith
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St. Augustine HS JROTC
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Florida National Guard
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Cathedral Parish School
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Florida Society 1st Vice, Kim Zeman
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St Johns Family Funeral Home
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Woman's Exchange
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Colonial Dames
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Francis Barracks
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St. Augustine Sea Cadets
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St Johns Illuminations
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Explore Tours and Pickups
The stone marker was delivered and placed on Nov. 13, 2024, next to the Liberty Tree located in the courtyard of The Oldest House Museum in St. Augustine. Members of the SAR St. Augustine chapter and the local Maria Jefferson DAR Chapter attended the ceremony.
The formal dedication occurred on Feb. 8, 2025, as part of America 250.
The History of The Liberty Tree
For Americans, the Liberty Tree is both history and legend. As part of the United States celebration of the 250th anniversary of our nation's founding, the St. Augustine Chapters of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) and the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) have come together to dedicate a Liberty Tree in honor of the ideals that shaped the founding of our republic.
The SAR and DAR emphasize history, education, and patriotism in their missions. What better way to achieve these goals than by dedicating a Liberty Tree at St. Augustine’s Oldest House Museum, providing the community with a lasting symbol of our revolutionary spirit?
The Liberty Tree's origins date back to the events following the Seven Years’ War (1756–1763), known in the colonies as the French and Indian War. Although Britain emerged victorious, the war drained its treasury, and Parliament sought to recoup its losses by taxing the American colonies without consultation. Advocated by figures such as Lord Bute and Lord Grenville and supported by King George III, this decision led to the controversial Stamp Act of 1765.
The Stamp Act imposed taxes on all printed materials, from newspapers to playing cards, requiring payment in hard currency—an already scarce resource in the colonies. This sparked widespread outrage, as colonists argued that taxation without representation violated their rights under the Magna Carta, which upheld the principle that taxes must be approved by the people’s representatives.
MAP OF BOSTON 1765.
Note the single roadway on the left of the image—the only way in or out.
INDIGNATION MEETING UNDER LIBERTY TREE, BOSTON.
Patriots began organizing to resist these taxes, often meeting under prominent trees that became rallying points for protest and planning. In Boston, an elm tree at the corner of Essex and Orange Streets gained fame as the "Tree of Liberty." Meetings beneath its branches grew so frequent that it became a symbol of unity and defiance.
The Boston colonists who gathered under the Liberty Tree became known as the Sons of Liberty, while their leaders, the Loyal Nine, crafted plans of resistance. Their relentless protests led to the repeal of the Stamp Act in 1766, less than a year after its enactment. The Liberty Tree and the ideals it represented soon spread across the colonies, inspiring similar movements in other cities and eventually influencing revolutions worldwide in France, Spain, and beyond.
Today, the St. Augustine Chapter of the SAR and the Maria Jefferson Chapter of the DAR honor this legacy by dedicating their own Liberty Tree. Located in the courtyard of the Oldest House Museum, this majestic oak was chosen for its strength, beauty, and commanding presence. A granite marker at its base bears an inscription to commemorate the dedication, ensuring that the story of the Liberty Tree will endure for generations to come.
The Liberty Tree is a testament to the power of unity, resistance, and the enduring pursuit of freedom.
As we celebrate America250, may it remind us of the revolutionary ideals that shaped our nation and inspire future generations to uphold them.
