Signs of Liberty

In the heart of Liberty Square stands a mighty 100+ year old oak, the Liberty Tree. Liberty trees sprouted in many colonial communities as symbols of the coming revolution. "The Liberty Tree" was also a song by Tom Blackburn and George Bruns, heard in Disney's 1957 film Johnny Tremaine:

Plant the seed in our homeland, boys.
Let it grow where all can see.
Feed it with our devotion, boys.
Call it the Liberty Tree.

CHORUS: It's a tall old tree and a strong old tree,
And we are the Sons, yes, we are the Sons, the Sons of Liberty.

During the Colonial period, the Sons of Liberty were a secret society of community leaders who came together to plot against the British and ultimately form a new nation. Since their activities were treasonous, no one outside the group could know where or when their meetings would take place. From the limbs of the Liberty Tree were hung several lanterns, each a different design and each representing the home of one of the Sons of Liberty. When a meeting was called, the lantern identifying the meeting place was lit.

The Liberty Tree in the Magic Kingdom is adorned with 13 lanterns, representing the thirteen original Colonies which came together to form the United States of America.

In Johnny Tremaine, young Johnny is the apprentice to a silversmith and gets wrapped up in many of the events leading up to the start of the Revolutionary War, including the Boston Tea Party and Paul Revere's famous ride. For many years, near the base of the Liberty Tree, a Silversmith Shop was identified by a sign listing its proprietor as "J. Tremaine." And elsewhere in Liberty Square can be found a reference to the midnight message delivered by Paul Revere via lanterns in the Old North Church - one if by land, two if by sea. The two lanterns are always lit, warning the Colonists of the British army's decision to march on Concord by way of the Charles River.