By Cindy Gladden, Record Staff Writer
Warren County 4-H members gathered Saturday, April 29, to plant a Liberty Tree in the Marthasville City Park, commemorating the city’s bicentennial year.Despite pouring rain and chilly temperatures, more than 20 4-H members of all ages, their leaders, Marthasville city representatives and county officials gathered for the annual 4-H Service Day.According to Carey Benne, Warren County 4-H program assistant, April 29 was the National 4-H Day of Service, a nationwide event. Students from Camp Branch, Big Creek, Homestead, Rolling Stones, Country Crossroads and Elkhorn clubs met to help give back to their communities.Benne said the Liberty Tree was known during Revolutionary times as a symbol of American independence. The first Liberty Tree, an American elm, was located on the Boston Common. Eventually all 13 colonies had their own designated Liberty Tree where public meetings often took place.“Maryland had the last one,” said Benne. “They believe it was more than 400 years old.”Maryland’s Liberty Tree was located in Annapolis. It stood nearly 100 feet tall, with a girth of 27 feet. After many challenges over the years, including a gunpowder prank explosion in the 1840s and storm damage, the tree died in 1999 during Hurricane Floyd. Fourteen seedlings were germinated and planted in the original colonies from the Maryland tree.To preserve the Liberty Trees, Crader Distributing and local STIHL dealers initiated a bud-grafting program to further distribute the trees.Benne said Warren County applied for a tree, which included a plan to plant the tree in a place where the public would have access to the tree and where it would have continued care.They also received a certificate of authenticity, stating the tree is a “tulip poplar, bud-grafted from the last standing Revolutionary era Liberty Tree.”“We appreciate all the volunteers and their efforts,” said Loretta Davis, who volunteers landscaping the city’s parks. “We also thank the park board of Marthasville for supporting this project.”Benne said there are 208 4-H members in Warren County. The clubs will be recognized for the project they completed on the Day of Service. She said the group had additional projects planned in the park April 29, but will return when the weather is better.The Liberty Tree was provided by Rare Find Nursery in Jackson, N.J. The 4-H clubs donated flowers, Hillermann Nursery & Florist donated compost and a staking kit and the city of Marthasville donated two benches.Warren County 4-H clubs gathered Saturday, April 29, to plant a Liberty Tree in the Marthasville City Park, helping to celebrate the city's bicentennial in June. Pictured, from left, at are William Lee, Nathan Brueggenjohann, Warren County Commissioner Hubie Kluesner, Savannah Krause, Marthasville Alderman Dan Grafath and Matti Hanan. The tree is a tulip poplar and was bud-grafted from surviving saplings of the 400-year-old Liberty Tree from Annapolis, Md. Record photo/ Cindy Gladden.
