Through this initiative, a tulip poplar Liberty Tree will be planted across all 23 counties and Baltimore City by the end of 2026.
Hughesville, Md. — The Southern Maryland National Heritage Area and historic preservation partners, including the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Preservation Maryland, Maryland Center for History and Culture, and the Maryland Heritage Areas Coalition, launched the Maryland Liberty Tree Project. Through this initiative, a tulip poplar Liberty Tree, a seedling of the original Maryland Liberty Tree, will be planted in all of Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City.
“The Maryland Liberty Tree Project brings the ideals of a vibrant democracy to life and reminds us how deeply those principles are rooted in our complex history,” said Lucille Walker, executive director of the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area and co-chair of the Maryland Heritage Areas Coalition. “By planting Liberty Trees across the state, we’re not only honoring our past, we are also doing what Maryland heritage areas do best: investing in places that bring people together, supporting environmental stewardship, and creating lasting benefits for future generations. Maryland stands alone among all 13 colonies in securing exact genetic copies of its original Liberty Tree, making every Maryland Liberty Tree planting not just a local treasure, but a living piece of America’s founding story.”
From its origins in 1765 in Boston, the Liberty Tree stood as a symbol of resistance to British rule. The idea soon spread throughout the American Colonies, including Annapolis, where citizens embraced their own Liberty Trees as symbols of freedom and unity. The original Maryland Liberty Tree was the oldest surviving Liberty Tree among the colonies, a tulip poplar that stood on the campus of St. John’s College in Annapolis, until it was brought down by Hurricane Floyd in 1999.
The project’s kickoff event was held in Annapolis today, Maryland Day, at the William Paca House and Garden (186 Prince George Street).
“The Liberty Tree serves as a symbol of the founding history of the United States and the community-based fight for self-government and inalienable human rights,” said Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz. “This effort to plant Liberty Trees throughout Maryland’s heritage areas will coincide with our statewide work to plant 5 million new trees across the landscape by 2031. These two ongoing projects to highlight history and bolster Maryland’s natural resources through tree plantings will remind future generations of the priorities of our forefathers and honor the state’s current residents who are continuing to build a vibrant future.”
The Liberty Trees will be planted within heritage areas across every jurisdiction by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and five regional events will serve as anchor celebrations.
Liberty Trees in southern Maryland will be planted at Jefferson Patterson Park, Thomas Stone National Historic Site, Piscataway Park, and Historic St. Mary’s City. Planting event details will be shared soon.
Full list of planting locations include:
- Allegany County — Canal Place Heritage Park
- Anne Arundel County / City of Annapolis — Paca House and Gardens
- Baltimore City — Druid Hills
- Baltimore County — Pickall (Ellicott’s Upper Mills), Patapsco Valley State Park
- Calvert County — Jefferson Patterson Park
- Caroline County — Adkins Arboretum
- Carroll County — Strawbridge Shrine, New Windsor
- Cecil County — Perryville
- Charles County — Thomas Stone National Historic Site
- Dorchester County — 2 Rose Hill Place
- Frederick County — Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Frederick
- Garrett County — Casselman Bridge State Park
- Harford County — Havre de Grace
- Howard County — Avalon (Avalon Iron Works), Patapsco Valley State Park
- Kent County — Turners Creek
- Montgomery County — Gray Courthouse
- Prince George’s County — Accokeek / Piscataway Park
- Queen Anne’s County — RT18 Park at County Park & Rec Headquarters
- Somerset County — Janes Island State Park
- St. Mary’s County — Historic St. Mary’s City
- Washington County — City Park, Hagerstown
- Wicomico County — Pemberton Hall
- Worcester County — Calvin B. Taylor House Museum
About the Maryland Liberty Tree Project
The Maryland Liberty Tree Project is a coalition of statewide leaders, including the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area, the Maryland Heritage Areas Coalition, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Preservation Maryland, the Maryland Center for
History and Culture, and the Maryland 250 Commission. Formed in 2025, the Maryland Liberty Tree Project aims to amplify Maryland’s legacy in shaping the American story and encourage the shared responsibility of democracy. Learn more about the coalition here.
About the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area
As a newly designated National Heritage Area, the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area represents Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s, and southern Prince George’s Counties with a mission to enhance the region through innovative heritage tourism experiences, comprehensive cultural and natural resource conservation, and excellence in educational opportunities. To learn more, visit our website.
