Events occur throughout the year, and are opportunities for travel, education, and fellowship. Some events are Sponsored on the National Level, as in the commemoration at NPS Battle Parks, such as Cowpens and Valley Forge. State Events are held for local battles, commemoration ceremonies, and events recognized by the State Color Guard. Local events include memorial services, parades, and other events a SAR chapter may be invited to attend. Below are some of the up coming events you may be interested in attending.
- This event has passed.
Date: Saturday, May 2, 2026
Time: 10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.
Location: Eagle’s Beak Park — Trailhead entrance at the parking lot
Address: 8395 Old Federal Rd, Ball Ground, GA 30107 (across from the historic Sherrill House)
Cost: Free and open to the public
The Robert Forsyth Chapter, Georgia Society, Sons of the American Revolution and the Chestatee River Chapter, NSDAR invite the community to a Liberty Tree planting and dedication commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence.
The Liberty Tree: A Symbol of American Independence
On August 14, 1765, a great elm in Boston’s South End — at the corner of what are today Washington and Essex Streets — became the birthplace of organized colonial resistance. There, the Loyal Nine, precursors to the Sons of Liberty, hung an effigy of stamp distributor Andrew Oliver to protest the Stamp Act. That towering elm soon became known as the Liberty Tree, and for the next decade it served as the rallying point for public meetings, protests, and acts of defiance against British rule. Patriots gathered beneath its branches to read pamphlets, hear speeches, and plan the resistance that would ultimately become a revolution.
The idea took root across the colonies. A magnificent tulip poplar at St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland served as that colony’s Liberty Tree; among those who met beneath it were future Declaration signers Samuel Chase and William Paca. It survived until 1999, when it was fatally damaged by Hurricane Floyd. Charleston, Newport, Providence, and Norwich, Connecticut each had their own. Where no suitable tree could be found, colonists raised “Liberty Poles” in their place. So powerful was the symbol that in August 1775, occupying British troops cut down the Boston Liberty Tree for firewood — an act of spite that only deepened its meaning. Thomas Paine immortalized it that same year in his song “Liberty Tree,” published in The Pennsylvania Magazine in July 1775.
Ceremony Schedule
- 10:00 A.M. — Liberty Tree Planting & Dedication at the Eagle’s Beak Park trailhead. The Robert Forsyth Chapter and Georgia Society SAR Color Guard / Militia will present the colors and render a musket salute in honor of the patriots who secured American independence.
- 11:00 A.M. — Little Free Library Book Box Dedication at the Playground Pavilion, immediately following the tree planting.
For Families
Free activities for kids will be available throughout the event. Bring a chair if you’d like seating during the ceremony. All are welcome — bring the whole family!
Sponsors
Co-sponsored by the Robert Forsyth Chapter, Georgia Society, Sons of the American Revolution and the Chestatee River Chapter, NSDAR.
