Bryan Stalder
Contributor

For more than two centuries, a towering burr oak has anchored the  side yard at 328 S. Monroe Avenue—long before the streets were paved, long before the boulevards George Kessler envisioned took shape, long before Missouri was even a state. Generations of Northeast residents have known him simply as “the Liberty Tree,” but on December 6, neighbors will gather to say goodbye to Frank.

This ancient oak, estimated at around 250 years old, will be removed due to fungal root disease. Before that final day comes, the community is invited to honor an arboreal long life with a Champagne Funeral on December 6, a celebration of history, memory, and the deep roots that bind the Historic Northeast.

The Northeast News first wrote about this tree in 2002, when Harold and Phyllis Edwards still lived in the duplex beside it. Even then, neighbors marveled at a giant specimen that was alive well before the United States existed. During the 1976 Bicentennial, the Missouri Department of Conservation and the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission certified the tree as a “Liberty Tree,” one of a select number believed to have been standing during the era of the American Revolution. A plaque was installed, a flagpole erected, and the Edwards family proudly tended the tree that had watched over their home since before their block had a name.

Phyllis, who grew up on the property, often said her father, Frank McLaughlin, bought the building “and got the tree.” She remembered squirrels racing up the trunk, a falcon perched high in the canopy, and decades of sweeping up acorns—sometimes filling 20 bags in a single season. Her father made the concrete stepping stones that still lead toward the trunk; she took only one with her when the family left the neighborhood in 2016.

By the time we revisited the story in 2022, Harold had passed away and the house had a new owner, Shawn Arcedino. But the memories flowed just the same. Phyllis returned for a visit and stood under those familiar branches, pointing out where her family garden once grew and where a beloved pet rabbit was buried. Arcedino showed her the Liberty Tree certificate he found in the basement and the framed diploma she unknowingly left behind. In the shade of the old oak, two families—past and present caretakers—shared stories, hugs, and the kind of quiet nostalgia only a tree of that age could inspire.

Today, Frank stands much as he always has: wide-crowned, deeply rooted, and towering over the home that has changed hands many times beneath him. But weakened roots have made the tree unstable, and for safety, the time has finally come.

Instead of mourning in sadness, the neighborhood will honor Frank’s long life with a celebration worthy of his legacy.

A Champagne Funeral for Frank — December 6

VIP Porch Reception — 2:30 p.m.
A private champagne gathering will open the event, featuring live music, shared memories, and a reflective look at 250 years of local history in the shade of one of Missouri’s most storied trees.

Public Memorial Ceremony — 3:00 p.m.
Neighbors, conservationists, and tree lovers of all ages are invited for readings, storytelling, and a final community toast beneath Frank’s branches.

The event is free to attend, though champagne service is reserved for guests 21 and older with valid ID. Donations and ticketed contributions support Frank’s memorial and community restoration efforts.

Honoring 250 Years of Northeast History

Frank the Liberty Tree has stood longer than most homes, businesses, and institutions in Kansas City’s Historic Northeast. He witnessed the arrival of fur traders, the carving of Monroe Avenue, the rise and decline and revival of the community around him. He shaded garden plots, family gatherings, neighborhood conversations, and more than 150 years of Edwards family memories.

On December 6, the community will gather once more—one final time—to stand under his branches. Not in mourning, but in gratitude for the stories he held, the generations he connected, and the history he quietly carried.

RSVP: Eventbrite link — https://www.eventbrite.com/e/frank-the-liberty-tree-a-champagne-farewell-to-250-years-tickets-1968876143546

Donations: GoFundMe link — https://www.gofundme.com/f/frank-the-liberty-tree-a-final-farewell-to-250-years