The Cotton Tree was the founding symbol of Freetown — the kapok at the junction of Siaka Stevens Street under which a group of freed African Americans, returned from Nova Scotia by way of the British Royal Navy, are said to have gathered in 1792 to give thanks for their liberation. For two centuries it was the unmissable landmark at the heart of the city, with branches that arched over the surrounding streets.
In May 2023 the tree was felled by a tropical storm. The site is still the city's symbolic centre and a young replacement now grows from the same spot. The surrounding intersection remains the busiest in Freetown — taxis, traders, and the entrance to the National Museum a hundred metres away.