Needham 4th of July Coverage

Every year, a lot of thought is put into the town’s Independence Day celebration, hosted by the Needham Exchange Club, and participated in by many town groups, clubs, and organizations. Look no further than the float crafted by the League of Women Voters of Needham. In honor of the eve of American Independence, they pulled together an ornate and thought provoking theme. Their description is as follows:
“In keeping with the parade theme ‘The Dawn of the American Revolution,’ the League of Women Voters presents its float Boston’s Liberty Tree: Meeting Place for Resistance! The Liberty Tree was a famous elm tree that stood in Boston, Massachusetts at the corner of Essex Street and Orange Street (now Washington Street), near Boston Common. The tree became a gathering place for colonial protesters. A liberty pole was installed nearby with a flag that could be raised above the tree to summon the townspeople to a meeting. On August 14, 1765, a crowd gathered under the tree to protest the Stamp Act, and when the Stamp Act was repealed in 1766, townspeople gathered at the Liberty Tree to celebrate. They decorated the tree with flags and streamers and hung lanterns. During the Siege of Boston, loyalist merchants cut down the tree in August 1775. Today the site where the tree once stood—now Washington and Essex Streets—has a small plaza with a plaque saying: Sons of Liberty, 1766; Independence of their Country, 1776.”

It was a wonderful year for both the fireworks and the parade. If you missed it, or want to relive it, you can watch our coverage below!