CHESTERTOWN — Not every town in America has the visible Revolutionary War-era history that exists here.
From Colonial sites in town to Washington College given its name by a Founding Father who would serve as the first U.S. president, Chestertown is a fitting place for reflecting on America’s legacy.
To celebrate the United States’ semiquincentennial along with local and statewide history, a ceremonial sapling was planted last week on Washington College’s campus in an event hosted by the Old Kent, General Perry Benson and Great Choptank Parish chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
The planting is part of a statewide initiative — led by the Maryland State Society Daughters of the American Revolution through its “Our Legacy of Liberty” project — that aims to plant a sapling in each Maryland county.
The saplings are direct genetic clones of the Liberty Tree, a tulip poplar on the St. John’s College campus in Annapolis that was about 400 years old before it fell in a hurricane in 1999.
The young tree on the Washington College campus is located not far from the iconic statue of George Washington, and near the historic brick sidewalk that fronts the 300-block of Washington Avenue.
The dedication ceremony on Thursday, May 21 started out in Norman James Theatre and then moved to the campus lawn, where the sapling had recently been planted. About 40 people gathered for the dedication, many of whom are DAR members from the Great Choptank Parish Chapter in Cambridge and the General Perry Benson Chapter in Easton as well as the Old Kent Chapter.
Old Kent Regent Bonnie Hill led the ceremony, encouraging those in attendance to reflect on “the resilience and hope embodied in its roots” as a symbol of freedom.
“This seedling stands not only as a tribute to the past but as a living symbol of liberty, encouraging future generations to cherish and safeguard the hard-won freedoms by the men and women who helped to define our nation,” Hill said.
Along with remarks from the state DAR regent and from Washington College representatives, written remarks from Gov. Wes Moore were read during the ceremony. The governor’s statement noted the significance of Washington College and commended the DAR for preserving history and promoting education and service.
The tulip poplar sapling is protected by wire fencing and marked with a plaque describing the “Our Legacy of Liberty” project.
This report has been updated to include that the Old Kent, General Perry Benson and Great Choptank Parish chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution hosted the May 21 event at Washington College.
One Response
The planting was a collaboration by three Chapters – Old Kent, Great Choptank Parish and General Perry Benson.