Liberty Square at Disney’s Magic Kingdom is steeped in history. Though visitors can’t miss the period-appropriate accents of this land, most probably stroll through the area without realizing how painstakingly authentic these details are. This quick guide will give you some spectacular highlights to look out for the next time you visit.
1. The original Liberty Bell casting
Liberty Bell at Magic Kingdom
The Liberty Bell featured prominently in the center of Liberty Square was cast from the same mold used to create the original. The ensures that the size and shape of the bell are absolutely identical the historic Liberty Bell. A court of flags surrounds the bell, with one flag for each of the original 13 colonies.
Liberty Bell Court of Flags
2. The cock-eyed shutters
Liberty Square Store Fronts
If you notice the shutters looking a bit off in Liberty Square, it’s not because they’re overdue for rehab. These shutters are hung at an angle on purpose. Colonial shutters were typically hung on leather straps. This would cause the shutters to sag slightly at the top, creating a lopsided look. The shutters in Liberty Square are hung on metal hinges for stability, but the Imagineers went to the trouble of setting them at a slight angle anyway.
3. The traditional Liberty Tree
Liberty Square Liberty Tree
Across from the Hall of Presidents, you’ll see a rather majestic tree adorned with lanterns. As with nearly every detail in this area, the effect, though enchanting, is not merely aesthetic. In Colonial America, it was traditional for each town to have its own Liberty Tree as a symbol of their fight for independence. These trees were also used as the meeting place for the Sons of Liberty.
Liberty Tree Plaque
The Liberty Tree at Walt Disney World features 13 lanterns – one for every colony. The tree itself is over 100 years old. This oak was transplanted from its original location on the southern end of Walt Disney World property. To facilitate the transplant process, two holes were drilled through the trunk. Heavy steel dowels went through these holes to serve as anchor points for the crane.
The original wood plugs were later replaced, but they became diseased in the process. To save the tree, landscapers ultimately removed the plugs and filled the space with concrete, which the tree can safely grow around.
4. The important pair of lanterns
Liberty Square Lanterns
The poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” by Henry W. Longfellow features the line “One if by land, and two, if by sea.” This refers to the lantern signal that would alert colonists to the advance of British forces. One lantern would indicate that the forces were taking the longer land route. Two lanterns indicated the faster water route, which would give colonists less time to prepare.
The British forces would, indeed, arrive by boat, traveling from Boston Common to Cambridge. The two lantern signal was placed in the Old North Church in Boston’s North end.
Paul Revere’s successful ride made the lantern signal redundant, but this failsafe was put into place in case Revere was captured before he could successfully pass the warning.
Liberty Square Window with Lanterns
In homage to this tale, you’ll see an upper window in Liberty Square that features two lanterns – “two if by sea.” The window is along the side of the Hall of Presidents and faces the Haunted Mansion.
5. The architectural progression of the doors
Liberty Square Door “22”
The Haunted Mansion anchors the far side of Liberty Square, with an architectural style that’s inspired by New York’s Hudson River Valley in the early 1700s. As you progress through Liberty Square, the architecture advances along with you. The Hall of Presidents represents Philadelphia architecture of the late 1700s. Moving into Frontierland, the architecture follows the same trend, advancing you into the old west of the 1800s.
Liberty Square Door “24”
In Liberty Square, the architectural changes are at once subtle and strikingly obvious. Once you notice this feature, it’s difficult not to see it all around you. The doors that make the up facades of Liberty Square each represent a different time period. You can pinpoint the exact year that’s referenced simply by looking at the number over the door. This represents the year when that particular style was used.
Liberty Square Door “26”
6. The historic fire mark
Liberty Square Fire Mark
The symbol of four clasped hands featured on this façade in Liberty Square is known as a fire mark. This particular fire mark belongs to the Philadelphia Contributorship and appeared in Philadelphia from 1752 to 1830. A fire mark let firefighters know a building was insured and by whom. Insured buildings would receive priority attention, both from the firefighters and from policyholders who would see a profit or loss from the building’s outcome.
7. The unique coloring of the streets
Liberty Square Streets
If you happen to look down, you may notice something unusual about the streets in Liberty Square. The traditional reddish hue seen elsewhere in the park features an uneven brown river running down the center. This is just another period-appropriate accent. In the 1700s, indoor plumbing didn’t exist. Sewage was thrown right into the streets and ran down the center, just as you see here in this decidedly cleaner representation.
Speaking of bathrooms, you won’t find any in Liberty Square for the same reason. The Columbia Harbor House has a restroom inside but it’s technically outside the bounds of Liberty Square because it’s beyond the restaurant’s overhang and technically falls within Fantasyland.
8. The fence that’s not a fence
Liberty Square Hitching Post
Though this looks like a convenient piece of fencing that separates the stroller parking from the rest of the street, it’s actually more interesting than it seems. This is a hitching post for horses. The clever little accent gives a humorous nod to the differences in “parking” in the Magic Kingdom and Colonial America.
These fascinating details only scratch the surface of the stories that Liberty Square has to tell. Slow down and take a closer look at the details around you and you may be surprised at what you can find.
