THE HISTORIC TREES OF MASSACHUSETTS 



WAS NEARLY DESTROYED BY A STORM 

 IN 1832. PROTECTED BY AN IRON 

 ENCLOSURE IN 1854. 



J. V. C. SMITH, Mayor. 



THE OLD ELM 



DESTROYED BY A 

 GALE FEB. 15, 1 876 



THIS ELM 

 PLANTED A.D. 1876 



In the wall of a building at the southeast 

 corner of Essex street at its junction with 

 Washington street there was inserted some 

 years ago by Mr. David Sears a handsome 

 freestone bas-relief representing the Liberty 

 Tree. This memorial is placed directly over 

 the spot where the original tree stood, and 

 an inscription informs the reader that it 

 commemorates 



LIBERTY 1776 

 LAW AND ORDER 

 SONS OF LIBERTY 1766 

 INDEPENDENCE OF THEIR COUNTRY 1776 



These memorials mark the passing of the 

 trees of individual fame on Boston Common. 

 The records show that Liberty Tree pro- 

 duced fourteen cords of wood, while the 

 Great Elm was so large that one of its huge 

 limbs, blown off in 1860, showed one hun- 



