DENHAM SPRINGS — Members of the General Philemon Thomas Chapter of Baton Rouge, the Denham Springs City Council, U.S. military veterans, and members of the community gathered at the site of the old First Baptist Church, 308 N. River Road, on June 24, 2026, to celebrate America's 250th anniversary with a liberty tree planting ceremony.
The ceremony, led by Denham Springs Mayor Gerard Landry, featured the crowd singing the national anthem, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, a brief history of the liberty tree, and the unveiling of the liberty tree stone.
"We're really proud to be able to honor all of our veterans, honor the fact that they've put up their lives so that we can have our independence," Mayor Landry stated in his opening address. "Everybody that believes in what we do has some sort of representation here [through this tree]."
"We don't realize how fast history goes by. We are talking about something that happened 250 years ago. That's 1776," Mayor Landry continued. "In 1886… [we had] the first burial right here [at the Denham Springs Memorial Cemetery]... so the history is not that far. We're not that far away from it."
Historian Eddie Vaughn read The American's Creed, with the crowd reciting a passage proclaiming their "duty to my country, to love it, to support its Constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies."
Chapter Registrar Dr. Derrick Spell gave an overview of the liberty tree's history during the ceremony, which he had also provided at a Denham Springs City Council meeting in April, where the proposal for a liberty tree was first addressed.
The Liberty Tree was originally a famous elm that stood near Boston Common in Boston. Planted in 1646, the elm stood for more than a century before colonists staged the first act of defiance against the British government there in 1765. As such, the tree became a beacon of hope to all of the colonists and a symbol of freedom, while simultaneously acting as a rallying point for the growing resistance. The British eventually destroyed the tree in 1775 in an attempt to hinder the colonists' efforts to break away. However, patriots continued to defy the British by planting more liberty trees throughout the 13 colonies.
"Today, patriotic citizens across the country are planting liberty trees to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America and the signing of the Declaration of Independence," Spell noted.
This liberty tree, a red oak, is accompanied by a stone plaque, both donated to Denham Springs by the Sons of the American Revolution. The plaque states the different groups involved in the tree's planting, the dates 1776 to 2026, and a notice recognizing the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Sons of the American Revolution Chapter President Jim Moffatt then presented Mayor Landry with a Challenge Coin.
"I'm honored to be a part of this," Mayor Landry stated, holding the coin proudly.
The ceremony closed with a prayer by Senior Pastor Dr. Leo Miller, and afterward, many expressed hope that the tree will still stand proudly for America's 500th anniversary.
