Dedication of Brazos County's Liberty Tree

This podcast is the dedication program of Brazos County's Liberty Tree which was held July 2, 2026.Brazos County’s Boonville Heritage Park, which is the location of the first county seat, now has a symbol of America’s independence.The local chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution and the Brazos County Historical Commission dedicated a live oak as the local Liberty Tree on Thursday morning (July 2).The president of the son’s chapter, Dennis Brunson, shared how the original elm tree that was cut down in 1775 by the British was a symbol of the revolution.The chaplain of the son’s chapter, Rick Dowling, compared the Liberty Tree with the Old Testament story of the Jews creating a memorial after crossing the Jordan River following 40 days in the wilderness.Brazos County judge Duane Peters, who is also a member of the local son’s chapter, accepted the donation of the tree.Also speaking was Mary Helen Shearer, who is registrar of the William Scott Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.Another speaker, Brazos County Historical Commission chairman Henry Mayo, said the tree will be planted later this year when weather conditions are more favorable.Click HERE to read and download the Liberty Tree dedication program, which includes a brief history of the original Liberty Tree.