MONTPELIER, Vt. -
The Freedom Tree that stood on the Vermont Statehouse lawn for decades is coming down.
Statehouse officials say the sugar maple was buried too deeply and lots of foot traffic compacted the soil, causing problems with the root system.
It was planted in 1974 in honor of Lt. Col. Donald Cook, a Vietnam War hero. Cook, a Burlington native, died of malaria in a Viet Cong prison camp in 1967.
Officials say they plan to replace the Freedom Tree, but with a different species.
