Archive: Around Town

The Lansing-Ithaca Rotary Club dedicated a Liberty Elm Tree Saturday in front of the log cabin in Myers Park.  The elm is the first of what Rotarians hope will be a series of shade tree donations, as well as providing a reminder of Boston's Liberty Tree, which symbolized liberty and resistance to the British Crown in the events leading up to the Revolutionary War.

"If this bit of history does well we'll plant many more here in Myers Park," said Rotarian Jase Baese.  "It will make a more diverse ecosystem and more lovely shade trees for all the residents of Lansing to enjoy."

The project was begun a few years ago by Chuck Brodhead, a founding member of the Lansing Ithaca Rotary Club.  Baese took over the project last year when Brodhead became ill and then passed away.  Brodhead's daughter Marge Brodhead was present for the dedication.

"Unfortunately Chuck passed away before we could see the tree planted," Rotarian Vickey Beaver told a small crowd.  "But he didn't pass away before he knew were going to have it done.  We were able to get it here earlier this year."

Park Superintendent Steve Colt says that the area near the entry to the park is shaping up to be a historical section that makes the park unique to Lansing.  It is fitting the tree was planted there because the cabin was originally built in Lansing by Thomas North, a Revolutionary War veteran.


The tree commemorates the Liberty Tree, an elm that was planted in 1646 near the Boston Common near what is now the site of Boylston Station.  It got its name from the Sons Of Liberty, an organization that protested against the Stamp Act and oppressive British laws being imposed on the colonies.  The Stamp Act required that many publications and documents in the colonies be printed on paper with an embossed revenue stamp produced in England.

In 1765 the Sons of Liberty dragged British Stamp Master Andrew Oliver to the tree and forced him to resign.  Effigies of men who favored the Stamp Act were hung from this tree.  The tree gained significance as a symbol of American independence, so British loyalists tried to turn it into an object of ridicule, tarring and feathering an opponent  and forcing him to march in front of the tree.  During the 1775 Siege of Boston they cut it down in 1775, cutting it up to make 14 cords of wood.  It had stood for 129 years.

In 1964 August 14th was proclaimed Liberty Tree Day by Endicott Peabody, then governor of Massachusetts.  A year later the Liberty Elm Society in Keene, NH established the Liberty Tree Memorial program was established.  Since then Liberty trees have been planted across the nation, including Prescott, AZ, Greensboro, NC, East Lansing, MI, and Canton, OH.


The elm was planted in March,  When it arrived at Myers Park it was over 14 feet tall, and weighed over 450 pounds including the root ball.  It was delivered on a freight truck and unloaded with a fork lift.  The town Highway Department prepared the site and installed the tree and its accompanying plaque.  Since that time the Parks Department has been caring for the tree, which so far, seems to be thriving.  The plaque was installed last week.  A second plaque will be added that will tell about the Lansing-Ithaca Rotary Club's role in bring the tree to the park.

Baese says the Liberty Elm and more elms to come will provide a variety of shade trees that will eventually replace the aging trees already in the park.  It cost about $400 to bring the first Liberty Tree to Lansing. The plaque that was installed at the base of the tree was included in that package.  The Rotary Club hosted special fundraisers with information booths at various events, and also raised money at the Ithaca Chili Cookoff.  The club intends to continue to raise money to bring more trees to Myers Park, as well as to install a second plaque commemorating the Rotary CLub's involvement in the project.

"This project was initiated because of the preponderance of cottonwoods in this park," Baese says.  "They're all getting older and they need to start differentiating the trees in the park.  They need different varieties that are good shade trees.  Elms are great shade trees.  If this grows well here we may plant more Elms from the Liberty Elm Society here.  That is one of the things we're looking for folks to help us with donations for."

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