Cherry Blossoms in D.C.  

The first official blossoming cherry trees were planted in Washington, DC, on March 27, 1912, as a gift from Japan. Then First Lady Helen Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted the first two trees in a ceremony in West Potomac Park. The two original trees still stand at the end of 17th Street.

However, these were not the first such trees brought to the area. As early as 1885, there had been a movement to plant the beautiful trees in the capital. In 1905, a private citizen brought 1,000 flowering cherry trees from Japan to his estate in Chase, Maryland. A Japanese chemist ended up donating the 2,000 trees for the city.

In 1915, the United States sent a reciprocal gift to Japan of flowering dogwood trees. In 1934, the first Cherry Blossom Festival was held in Washington, sponsored by the District of Columbia Commissioners and numerous civic organization. It became an annual event. If you've never seen the trees when they're blooming, you owe yourself the treat. It's a sight to behold.

_________________________________