Event Details
In a joint effort to commemorate the ongoing 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution, the Borough of Caldwell and the First Mountain Chapter of the New Jersey Society Sons of the American Revolution (S.A.R.) will host a formal dedication ceremony for the planting of an American Elm "Liberty Tree" on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 1 p.m. The dedication ceremony will take place on the historic Caldwell Green, adjacent to the Carnegie Library (located at the southeast corner of Bloomfield and Roseland Avenues), directly across Roseland Avenue from the First Presbyterian Church in Caldwell.
The choice of location holds profound local and historical significance. The First Presbyterian Church's "Old Burying Ground" serves as the final resting place for 24 veterans of the Essex County Militia from the Caldwell area who served during the Revolutionary War. To honor their service and sacrifice, the ceremony will include a reading of the names of these 24 patriots, weaving Caldwell’s ancestors into the living monument of the Liberty Tree.
Participating in the reading of the names, will be Tom Olsen, a direct descendent of Caleb Pierson, one of the Revolutionary War veterans buried nearby.
In addition to the roll call of Revolutionary veterans, the dedication event will feature a presentation by the New Jersey Sons of the American Revolution Color Guard. Formal remarks and addresses will be delivered by Caldwell Mayor Garrett Jones and First Presbyterian Reverend Chris Houtz. (Speaker list subject to change).
Members of the community, local historians, veterans' organizations, and the press are warmly invited to attend this historic commemoration. Admission is free, and the ceremony will take place rain or shine.