16th Street World War I Memorial Trees facts for kids

The World War I 16th Street Memorial Trees were planted to remember people from Washington, D.C. who died in World War I. This special memorial is located on 16th Street NW in Washington, D.C., between Alaska Avenue and Varnum Street. When it was first created, it had over 500 trees. Each tree had a small marker to honor a man or woman from D.C. who lost their life in the war.

How the Memorial Started

The 16th Street Memorial Trees were a gift to the city. They came from the D.C. branch of the American Legion. The American Legion is a group for military veterans.

Workers planted special trees called Norway Maples. They placed them about 40 feet apart along a 2.5-mile stretch of 16th Street NW. This area was between Alaska Avenue and Varnum Street.

Each tree had a small concrete marker next to it. These markers were about 6 to 8 inches tall. They had a sloped top and a bronze plate. The bronze plate showed the name of the person who died. It also said their military branch and the words "Memorial Tree, World War, 1917-18."

There were 507 markers in total. They were placed in alphabetical order. Edward D. Adams was at the north end, and Randolph T. Zane was at the south end. At least six of these markers honored women who died in the war.

The memorial was officially opened on Sunday, May 30, 1920, at 4:00 PM. A parade was held by the American Legion and other veteran groups. The United States Marine Band played music. Important people like Assistant Secretary of War Benedict Crowell and District Commissioner Louis Brownlow gave short speeches. About 10,000 people from D.C. came to the ceremony.

Years of Change and Neglect

By 1922, the memorial had grown to 533 trees. For many years, up until the 1950s, people decorated the trees. 16th Street became a popular spot for Memorial Day celebrations. The trees created a beautiful, shady path into downtown Washington. This happened as 16th Street was developing in the 1920s and 1930s.

However, over time, the markers and trees started to disappear. This happened because of car accidents, theft, and accidental damage. Sometimes utility work or landscape maintenance also caused harm. People also became less interested in the memorial.

The American Legion tried to raise money to care for the memorial. They used slot machines in federal buildings. But in the 1950s, a law stopped these machines. Later, the American Legion focused on other projects. These included the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the World War II Memorial. So, less attention was given to the World War I memorial trees.

By 1982, only about three dozen trees were left. Many of these were not the original trees. They were new trees planted to replace lost ones. Many concrete markers were still there, but only one bronze plate could be found.

By the year 2000, most of the remaining concrete markers were buried by grass. Very few bronze plates were left.

The Memorial Today

As of 2010, only two bronze markers remained. These belonged to Leo Joseph and Private John Kendall.

A special resolution was passed on May 4, 2010. It was introduced by Phil Mendelson and approved by the Council of the District of Columbia. This resolution recognized the 90th anniversary of the memorial. It also asked people to rededicate the memorial on its 100th anniversary, May 31, 2020.