Huizenga Park: America 250 and the Bicentennial Liberty Tree

July 1, 2026 

As the United States celebrates its 250th birthday, communities across the nation are looking not only to commemorate history but to live within it. In Downtown Fort Lauderdale, Huizenga Park offers a uniquely powerful setting for that reflection: a civic green space where river, city, and story converge.

At the heart of this landscape stands a remarkable symbol- the Bicentennial Liberty Oak Tree, a living monument rooted in both local heritage and the enduring ideals of American independence. Like Liberty Trees found in colonial cities across the country, it carries forward a tradition of gathering, dialogue, and civic identity that predates the Republic itself.

The story of Huizenga Park’s Liberty Oak is inscribed at its base:

“In 1976, in commemoration of our Nation’s 200th Anniversary, the Bicentennial Oak Tree was relocated to this Riverwalk site. This tree is representative of the Liberty Trees found in many Colonial cities prior to the Revolution. The most well known of these trees was in Boston under whose branches the Sons of Liberty and other Patriots gathered in planning our independence from Great Britain. In honor of the victims and heroes of the September 11, 2001 Attack on America, the City of Fort Lauderdale and the Downtown Development Authority have rededicated and added the name Liberty to this tree. Our belief in Liberty for All unites us as a Nation dedicated to upholding and defending our precious American Values and principles.”

Today, this tree stands tall within Huizenga Park’s Liberty Circle, a gift from Rita and Rick Case Automotive to commemorate our country’s founding ideals and to honor the generations who have defended and upheld them.

As America enters its 250th year, the Liberty Oak invites us to consider not only where we have been, but where we are going. Beneath its branches, visitors are connected to a legacy of freedom, civic engagement, and shared purpose that has shaped our nation for generations. In a park designed to bring people together, this living monument serves as a powerful reminder that the ideals of liberty, community, and opportunity remain as relevant today as they were nearly two and a half centuries ago.

About the Author

The team behind Huizenga Park is guided by a shared commitment to fostering community, creating lasting memories, and building an exceptional park experience.

This post was written by Matthew Schnur, FTL DDA's Research and Innovation Manager, who oversees fundraising and donor relations for the Huizenga Park Foundation.