The Daughters of the American Revolution planned 76 commemorative trees for Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park. The project was announced as part of preparations for the United States’ 250th anniversary.
The number 76 points directly to 1776, the year the Declaration of Independence was adopted. Planting trees provided a lasting physical memorial while also linking the anniversary to Philadelphia’s historic landscape.
Independence National Historical Park includes Independence Hall, where the Declaration was adopted and the U.S. Constitution was later debated and signed. The park is therefore one of the most natural settings for America250 commemorations.
The figure can be confused with the number of original colonies, which was 13, or with 250, the anniversary number itself. It is also separate from the 50 states and from the 56 signers commonly associated with the Declaration.