The Liberty Tree Tavern
Most guests are unaware that the Liberty Tree Tavern did in fact have an “official” backstory. Unfortunately, the Disney company no longer actively promotes that backstory and it has largely faded into memory. In the early 1970s, shortly after the Magic Kingdom first opened, Disney published a menu for the Liberty Tree Tavern that included the following information:
THE STORY OF THE
LIBERTY TREE TAVERN
Welcome to the early days of colonial America, re-created throughout Liberty Square. Here Walt Disney World displays the architectural flavor of our original thirteen colonies. With its Bostonian New England charm, these early days proclaimed America’s Independence. It was the New Land!
In the spirit of our founding fathers, the Liberty Tree, located in the center of Liberty Square, symbolizes the Sons of Liberty pledge of honor in the cause of independence. Raised in common ground, it became a gathering place for the Liberty Boys who met under its boughs to denounce oppression, sing songs, drink toasts and hang unpopular officials in effigy. Now a more peaceful sign of our freedom, this giant oak represents a solid reminder of America’s challenge against suppression.
Within the Liberty Tree Tavern, you can see many original works of art created for the Hall of Presidents. Most of the historical scenes displayed here depict the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794, an insurrection in Western Pennsylvania against a high tax on surplus corn. Painted on aged redwood, each scene represents hours of concentrated study reenacting the early days of colonial America.
Here in the Liberty Tree Tavern and throughout Liberty Square our proud heritage comes alive before your eyes.
Admittedly, the specific references to the Liberty Tree Tavern are, in large part, no longer included in the restaurant by virtue of various renovations that have taken place over the years. Notwithstanding those changes, the Liberty Tree Tavern continues to exude the spirit and excitement of America’s fight for independence that is reflected in that early backstory.
Storytelling Elements
The Stamp Act and the Sons of Liberty
The stories behind the Magic Kingdom’s Liberty Tree and Liberty Tree Tavern date back to the Stamp Act of 1765. The Stamp Act imposed a direct tax on the American colonies, requiring all printed materials be on stamped paper (evidenced by an actual stamp) that was in turn produced in London. The Stamp Act covered a wide breadth of printed documents used daily in Colonial America, including legal documents, permits, newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, and even playing cards.
The Stamp Act enraged the American colonists. While Great Britain argued that the tax was needed to pay for its troops stationed in North America after the Seven Years’ War and the French and Indian War, the colonists believed there was no longer a need for a British military presence since there were no ongoing wars on American soil. Furthermore, the colonists believed that the Stamp Act and the tax imposed thereby violated their fundamental right to not be taxed without consent, which gave rise to the famous slogan, “no taxation without representation.”
In addition to numerous formal political actions taken by the American colonists in opposition to the Stamp Act, a secret organization known as the Sons of Liberty was born. In August of 1765, the Sons of Liberty gathered in Boston under a large elm tree to protest the Stamp Act. The colonists took the aggressive step of hanging a straw-filled effigy of Andrew Oliver, the colonist who actually imposed the Stamp Act on behalf of King George III, from the tree. This was notably the first public show of defiance by the American colonies against Great Britain and served as the initial spark of resistance that eventually led to the American Revolution a decade later.
In the years following that initial act of resistance, the Boston elm became a popular location for protesters, and eventually became known as the Liberty Tree. Other Liberty Trees were designated in many other towns across the thirteen colonies. Those trees not only provided a meeting place for protests and other gatherings, but also served as a strong symbol for America’s fight for independence.
Johnny Tremain
The Disney company’s connection to both the Sons of Liberty and the Liberty Tree dates back to 1957 and the little-known Disney live-action film Johnny Tremain. Set in Boston prior to the commencement of the American Revolution, the film recounts the story of its hero and namesake, Johnny Tremain. When the film begins, Tremain is a promising fourteen-year-old silversmith’s apprentice who is badly burned in a work accident. Due to that incident, Johnny’s hand is left badly crippled and his once promising silversmith career is over. Soon, he is thrown into the middle of events surrounding the American Revolution, including being recruited as a messenger by the Sons of Liberty and participating in the Boston Tea Party. During his adventures, Tremain encounters numerous leaders from early Colonial America including John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Paul Revere. Most notably for purposes of Disney’s Liberty Tree, the film includes scenes of Johnny Tremain and the Sons of Liberty hanging lanterns on the Liberty Tree in Boston.
The Exterior Façade and Foyer of the Liberty Tree Tavern
The Liberty Tree Tavern is themed as a quaint eighteenth-century Colonial inn and is much less imposing than other structures in Liberty Square such as the Hall of Presidents. The building’s façade is composed of modest wood plank construction. Four columns line a small brick walkway in front of the tavern, and three lanterns hang from the ceiling of a small front porch.
A small sign hangs from a wrought-iron pole above the porch. It includes a picture of the Liberty Tree and the name of the restaurant. A similar sign hangs from a cream-colored signpost just outside the restaurant.
Once you step inside the restaurant, you enter a large, two-story lobby, which includes a dramatic wood-plank ceiling and two beautiful chandeliers that provide light for the waiting area. A massive brick fireplace sits directly in front of the entranceway, with numerous Windsor chairs and benches surrounding it to provide seating for guests. Various iron kettles and pots sit inside the fireplace.
To the right of the fireplace you’ll see a large wooden spinning wheel and a vintage butter churn. To the left you’ll see a large cupboard with numerous baskets, pitchers, wooden bowls, jars, rolling pins, and a series of spice jars inside. Numerous copper pots, iron kettles, pewter glasses, and other cooking instruments hang above or sit alongside the fireplace. A rustic wooden display above the fireplace houses several tobacco pipes. A large wooden balcony runs along the top of the fireplace and leads to the tavern’s small second-story restrooms.
Pay close attention to the windows in the Liberty Tree Tavern; they are made from handmade “seed glass,” which dates back to Colonial America and produces small bubbles in the glass.
Liberty Tree Tavern Dining Rooms
The Liberty Tree Tavern is divided into six small dining rooms, creating a sense of hospitality and intimacy not seen in many other Disney restaurants. Each of these dining rooms includes its own unique fireplace and is themed to and commemorates a pivotal figure from the days of the American Revolution.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN DINING ROOM
Benjamin Franklin was one of our nation’s Founding Fathers and a “Renaissance Man” in every since of that phrase. He was a noted author, politician, scientist, inventor, businessman, statesman, and philanthropist. The Benjamin Franklin dining room in the Liberty Tree Tavern is warm and welcoming and is themed to focus upon Franklin’s wide breadth of knowledge and accomplishments.
The area includes ceilings with dark wood beams, wood paneled walls, and a beautiful brass chandelier. A wooden plaque hangs from one of the wooden ceiling support beams and reads: “BENJAMIN FRANKLIN EST. 1706” (the year Franklin was born).
A small brick fireplace provides a welcoming centerpiece for the dining room. Above it hangs a vintage Colonial rifle. A portrait of Benjamin Franklin hangs close beside, and numerous small pictures of Franklin and other Colonial leaders are displayed throughout the area.
One of the most fun props
in this section of the Liberty Tree Tavern is a kite suspended from the ceiling to pay tribute to the story of Franklin discovering electricity by flying a kite during a thunderstorm.
A violin and other musical instruments, along with sheet music for the “Star Spangled Banner,” sit on a nearby window seat. Numerous books are displayed in a wooden cabinet with vintage iron mesh doors. Near a corner window sits a desk with boxes of old-fashioned printing blocks atop it.
A wooden plaque on the wall reads: “We must hang together or assuredly we will all hang separately. B. Franklin.” The plaque shows a picture of a key, with a vintage set of keys hanging from it.
THOMAS JEFFERSON DINING ROOM
Thomas Jefferson was another Founding Father. A noted advocate for democracy and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, he served as the third president of the United States. The Thomas Jefferson dining room in the Liberty Tree Tavern is more formal than some of the other dining rooms, and exhibits a more elegant and a sophisticated (though not stuffy) atmosphere.
The Jefferson dining room includes white wood-paneled walls that stand in stark contrast to the darker tones seen elsewhere in the tavern. Notwithstanding these lighter colors, the dining room does include dark wooden ceiling beams and wood support poles that run from the floor to the ceiling.
A vase with freshly cut flowers often sits on a small white mantle above the fireplace. A sign reading “JEFERSON” hangs above it, and gorgeous blue and white tiles illustrating numerous Colonial scenes wrap around the outer edge of the fireplace. Around the fireplace, portraits of several Founding Fathers, including Jefferson himself, hang on the dining room’s walls.
An elegant eighteenth-century grandfather clock sits beside a built-in curio cabinet, which displays numerous books, documents, plates, a quill and ink well, and other objects.
JOHN PAUL JONES DINING ROOM
The John Paul Jones dining room pays homage to one of American’s most well-known naval leaders during the American Revolution. Not surprisingly, this dining room carries a heavy nautical, sea-faring theme and includes many props that help to support that theme.
A modest sign above a door reads “John Paul Jones.” A harpoon hangs just above it. Another sign, labeled “ROYAL NAVY,” hangs from the wall, and four vintage drinking cups hang from it. Below this sign is a portrait of John Paul Jones in an intricate frame that provides some historical background for this American patriot. Another portrait of Jones is displayed by a side exit door, alongside a model sailing ship and a brass compass face. A pair of coats and a triangular hat hang nearby.
A formal document framed on the wall and entitled “Great Encouragement for Seamen” is an advertisement for “ALL GENTLEMEN SEAMEN and able-bodied LANDSMEN” to join a quest on the ship Ranger which is captained by, as you probably guessed, John Paul Jones. The advertisement boasts the abilities of the Ranger:
The ship Ranger, in the opinion of every person who has seen her, is looked upon to be one of the best cruisers in America—she will be always able to fight her guns under a most excellent cover; and no vessel yet built was ever calculated for sailing faster and making good weather.
Pictures of sailing ships, vintage maps, and other antique nautical equipment are displayed throughout the dining room.
PAUL REVERE DINING ROOM
Paul Revere was a noted patriot during the American Revolution. A silversmith by trade, Revere is best known for his famous midnight ride to alert the Colonial militia of the approach of British forces in April of 1775. The Paul Revere dining room is more casual than some of the other dining rooms, reflecting the humble occupation of Revere himself.
The room has dark wood beams that line the ceiling, as well as wooden support beams that run from the floor to the ceiling. A small wooden sign hangs on a ceiling support beam and reads “PAUL REVERE EST. 1735” (Revere’s birth year).
The back wall includes a distinctive rock wall (from which hangs a portrait of Paul Revere) and fireplace. To the right of the fireplace is a large wooden cupboard with four long shelves. These shelves hold a variety of silver plates, cups, and dishes, all of which pay homage to Revere’s occupation as a silversmith. A pair of colonial muskets hang from the long wooden mantle above the fireplace. A powder horn hangs from the right side of the mantle, and a series of Colonial-era tobacco pipes sit atop the mantle.
BETSY ROSS DINING ROOM
Betsy Ross is credited with making the very first American flag. Like the Paul Revere dining room, the Betsy Ross dining room is also rustic and casual in nature, and is one of the tavern’s smallest dining areas, with dark wood-paneled walls and a wood-plank ceiling complete with wooden beams.
A colonial flag (complete with thirteen stars) hangs from one of the dining room walls. A rustic quilt hangs near the flag, and portraits of Betsy Ross and other Colonial-era leaders are displayed nearby.
In a corner of the dining room, a floor-to-ceiling brick fireplace provides a warm visual centerpiece. An iron kettle sits inside the fireplace, and a large rustic wooden mantle runs above it. A plaque hangs on the wall above the mantle. It reads “HOUSE OF BETSY ROSS. ESTABLISHED 1752” (the year Ross was born). Two silver candlestick holders flank the plaque. A nearby shelf holds several spools of thread.
GEORGE WASHINGTON DINING ROOM
George Washington was one of the Founding Fathers and, as everyone knows, our first president. Washington also served as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. The George Washington dining room is befitting of the United States’ first President, and exudes a dignified and stately ambiance.
Dark wood-paneled walls stand in contrast to the white mantle that outlines the room’s brick fireplace, above which hangs a portrait of Washington. Three wooden ducks and a pair of silver mugs sit on the mantle, and two pistols are displayed on the wall to the left of the fireplace. A pair of horse stirrups hang to the right of the fireplace, as does a vintage horn.
An area of the dining room is dedicated to Washington’s wife, Martha. It includes several portraits of Martha as well as a wooden shelf with a teacup and saucer, a bell, flowers, and other items.
More Magical Secrets of the Liberty Tree and the Liberty Tree Tavern
Thirteen lanterns hang from the branches of the Liberty Tree, representing the thirteen original colonies.
Various signage for the Liberty Tree Tavern’s restrooms feature depictions of a Colonial gentleman and lady, each in formal attire. The only restrooms are located upstairs and, unfortunately, are very small.
In designing and constructing the Liberty Tree Tavern, Imagineers worked to incorporate the backstory and theme of the restaurant directly into everything that guests see, hear, and taste inside the Colonial restaurant. Imagineer John Hench described this emphasis in his book Designing Disney, Imagineering and the Art of the Show (2008):In restaurants, we extend the theme to embrace the space, the service style, and the menu. We are so careful in theming the architecture, interior décor, wallpaper, and graphic design of the menus and menu display that it only makes sense to theme the food, too. At the Liberty Tree Tavern, for example, every dish has a name evoking the Revolutionary period...
The Liberty Tree Tavern’s menu includes plenty of aptly named food and beverage items, including the Declaration Salad, Patriot’s Platter, Freedom Pasta, Colony Salad, and a Patriot’s Slush.
Walt Disney’s youngest daughter, Sharon, played an un-credited role as one of Johnny’s friends in Johnny Tremain.
Real History
In the 1969 Annual Report for Walt Disney Productions, the Disney company stated:
Liberty Square will offer relaxed dining in an early American restaurant featuring a series of small picturesque rooms reminiscent of colonial times.
That restaurant came to be known as the Liberty Tree Tavern and opened with the Magic Kingdom on October 1, 1971. The restaurant remained largely unchanged for the next twenty years. In the 1990s, it underwent a small refurbishment, a
t which time it transitioned to a character dining experience. Colonial versions of Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Goofy, Chip, and Dale entertained guests as they dined on Thanksgiving-style foods. As a part of this refurbishment, the restaurant’s dining rooms were re-themed to pay homage to the Colonial leaders discussed above. The Liberty Tree Tavern discontinued its character dining experience in January 2009, and underwent another minor refurbishment focused on the exterior of the restaurant in 2010.
The Magic Kingdom’s Liberty Tree was transported approximately six miles from its original home on the southern edge of Disney’s Florida property to its current location in Liberty Square in March 1971, several months prior to the opening of the Magic Kingdom. In order to accomplish this herculean task (the tree weighed approximately thirty-five tons at the time), Imagineers drilled two holes into the tree’s trunk through which steel dowels were inserted. These dowels served as the lifting points for a massive crane that lifted the tree from the ground. Once the Liberty Tree was replanted in Liberty Square, the dowels were removed and filled with the original wooden plugs. Unfortunately, the Liberty Tree was stricken with contamination from those re-inserted plugs. Imagineers removed the contaminated plugs and other diseased portions of the Liberty Tree and replaced them with concrete. A second smaller, younger live oak was later grafted into the Liberty’s Tree’s base.
PART THREE
Frontierland
chapter eight
Frontierland
Here we experience the story of our country’s past…the colorful drama of Frontier America in the exciting days of the covered wagon and the stagecoach…the advent of the railroad…and the romantic riverboat.
The Backstories and Magical Secrets of Walt Disney World Page 15
