Our Liberty Tree

This morning, with gray clouds looming, The Colonel and I attended a dedication for our local Liberty Tree. 

The original Liberty Tree was in Boston, Massachusetts (1646-1775) near the Boston Common. Years before the American Revolution, in 1765, colonists staged the first act of defiance against British government at the tree. The tree became a rallying point for the growing resistance of rule of Britain over the American colonies and the ground surrounding it became known as Liberty Hall. The tree was felled in August of 1775 by British loyalists. 

My Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) chapter sponsored the tree dedication. We had commemorative partners involved too; a local bank, a local funeral home, a local boy scouts troop, local chapters of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), the local chapter of the Children of the American Revolution (CAR) and of course the county.

One of my chapter's Honorary Regents was the Mistress of Ceremonies. She was the one who spearheaded the whole tree dedication from conceptual idea to actual event. Great job Debi!

The dedication began with an invocation from my chapter's chaplain followed by the posting of the colors by the SAR Color Guard.

The Boy Scouts lead the Pledge of Allegiance followed by the singing of the National Anthem by a young woman named Marcella Brown. 

A Proclamation of Charlotte County Board of Commissioners was read by Commissioner Stephen R. Deutsch and presented to Debi.

Other speakers followed (thankfully they kept it short, the skies looked threatening and a couple drops of rain fell): the FL SAR Southwest Regional V.P., the FL DAR Great SW FL Regents Council President, the Charlotte Chapter SAR President, my chapter's Regent, President of the CAR, the SAR Chaplain General and Caloosa Chapter SAR President.

Young Jordis, President of the CAR giving her speech (she wrote it herself) at the dedication.

After all the speeches, it was time to dedicate the tree. Two Boy Scouts unveiled the stone plaque. 

Finally, Marcella Brown sang God Bless America and then a benediction was given.

Below is a photo of me and some of the other ladies from my chapter surrounding the Liberty Tree.

Here is young Jordis in her colonial dress...isn't she cute?

One of the ladies from my chapter. She looks like she just stepped off of the set of Last of the Mohicans.

Even with the dark clouds looming overhead, the dedication remained dry. Not the case for those dressed in colonial wear. The humidity was high and it caused them to sweat and become like wilted flowers in a hothouse. I was glad I opted not to wear my colonial dress (plus The Colonel and I were going out to lunch following the dedication...I did not feel like a costume change before lunch).