A tulip tree descended from Maryland’s original Liberty Tree now stands at Frederick Douglass Park on the Tuckahoe. State and local leaders, historians, preservationists, and community members gathered Sept. 3 to dedicate the tree on the 188th anniversary of Douglass’ self-liberation from slavery.
The ceremony brought together state and local partners participating in the Maryland Liberty Tree Project, an initiative commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary by planting a descendant of Maryland’s original Liberty Tree in each of the state’s 23 counties and Baltimore City.
The Maryland Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Color Guard opened the ceremony with a presentation of the colors.
Michele W. Johnson of the Maryland Two Fifty Commission welcomed guests. Scott Rubin of the Maryland Center for History and Culture explained how the Liberty Tree Project began after project leaders learned about efforts to grow saplings connected to Maryland’s original Liberty Tree.
“A statewide project like this requires more than vision. It requires partnership,” Rubin said. “We’re not just preserving memory. We’re cultivating a living legacy.”
Dana Cohen of Preservation Maryland said the statewide project connects Marylanders with the places, landscapes, and stories that have shaped their communities. “Each of these ceremonies has been different in its own right,” Cohen said.
Gail Owings of Stories of the Chesapeake Heritage Area discussed the work involved in selecting an appropriate Talbot County location for the tree. “Our job was to work with Talbot County to find the best place to plant the Liberty Tree, one that represents the county, tells a significant story, and becomes a regional representation of the Liberty Tree,” Owings said.
The partners selected Frederick Douglass Park on the Tuckahoe, a 107-acre public park overlooking Tuckahoe Creek near the landscape where Douglass was born in 1818. Interpretive panels throughout the park explore his formative years and international legacy.
Talbot County Council Vice President Pete Lesher connected the Liberty Tree’s Revolutionary-era history with Douglass’ later struggle to expand the meaning and promise of American freedom.
“Douglass knew how to express his thoughts and opinions to make the powerful tremble,” Lesher said, “much as our patriot forebears in the Revolutionary generation made tyrants tremble as they used their reasoning to articulate liberty under the branches of the Liberty Tree in Annapolis.”
“In planting this Liberty Tree seedling here, we can today renew our resolve to follow Douglass’ call to use our voices to continue to advance liberty,” Lesher said.
Corey Pack, a former Talbot County Council member and current member of the Frederick Douglass Park on the Tuckahoe Commission, recognized the county employees and leaders whose work made the park and dedication possible.
Pack thanked Talbot County Economic Development and Tourism staff and credited former director Cassandra Vanhooser with helping advance the park from an idea into a public heritage destination.
“Cassandra Vanhooser was a catalyst for putting this park out here together,” Pack said.
Vanhooser spearheaded the park’s development during her tenure with Talbot County, building partnerships and public support to preserve the landscape and share Douglass’ story. She recently became managing director of the Maryland Office of Tourism and Film.
Pack also welcomed new Talbot County Economic Development and Tourism Director Stephanie Mervine and spoke about plans for the park’s continued development.
“One day, we’re going to look back and see a beautiful building behind me where we’re going to commemorate the life and legacy of Frederick Douglass,” Pack said.
“In Douglass’ poem, liberty takes flight. Today, liberty takes root,” Pack said. “This Liberty Tree is more than a reminder of the past. It’s a living symbol of the future.”
The ceremony concluded with a ceremonial watering of the tree and a ribbon-cutting. Talbot County Parks and Recreation employees and other county staff helped prepare the park for the event.
Frederick Douglass Park on the Tuckahoe is at 13211 Lewistown Road near the Town of Queen Anne. More information is available at www.
Talbot County Economic Development and Tourism works to strengthen Talbot County’s economy by supporting business retention and expansion, entrepreneurship, workforce development, investment, and a vibrant visitor economy. More information is available at www.TalbotWorks.org.
