Cherry Blossom Festival History Page 4

In a simple ceremony on March 27, 1912. First Lady Helen Herron Taft, wife of president William Howard Taft, and Viscountess Chinida, wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted the first two cherry trees on the north bank of the tidal basin in West Potomac Park. In April, 1927 school children reenacted the initial planning in Potomac Park and eight years later, in 1935, the first "Festival" was sponsored by civic groups in the nations's capitol.

1913 ‚ 1920 Workmen continued the planting of Yoshino trees around the Tidal Basin. The cherry trees of the other 11 varieties and the remaining Yoshino trees were planted in East Potomac Park.

In Spring of 1927, the original planting of Japanese cherry trees was commemorated by a re-enactment of the event by Washington school children.

In 1934, the District of Columbia Commissioners sponsored a three-day celebration. The next year the first Cherry Blossom Festival was jointly sponsored by many civic groups. It became an annual event. In 1949, Cherry Blossom Princesses were selected from every state and territory to participate in the festival.

In 1952, cuttings from the cherry trees in the United States were sent to Japan to restore Japan's noted collection of trees on the banks of the Arakawa River in the Adachi Ward which had deteriorated during the war years. Trees in the Adachi Ward were the parent stock for the trees given to the U.S.

The first Cherry Blossom Queen was crowned in 1949 and the selection processhas evolved over the years.

On March 30, 1954 Sadao Iguchi, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States presented a 20-ton, 300-year-old Japanese Stone Lantern to the city of Washington.

In 1957, the Mikimoto Pearl Crown was donated for use at the Cherry Blossom Festival.

In 1958, the Japanese Pagoda, hewn out of rough stone, was placed on west bank of the Tidal Basin near the Jefferson Memorial and dedicated April 18, 1958. It was presented as a gift to the City of Washington, D.C., by the Mayor of Yokohama.

In 1965, a gift of another 3,800 new cherry trees was received by another First Lady interested in the beautification of Washington, Lady Bird Johnson.

Then in 1981, Japanese horticulturists came to the united states to take cuttings from the Yoshino cherry trees to replace trees destroyed in Japan when the course of a river was changed. By this circle of giving, the cherry trees have fulfilled their roles as a symbol and agent of friendship.

In 1982, approximately 800 cuttings from the original trees at the Tidal Basin were sent to Japan to help them retain the genetic characteristics of their trees.

From 1986 to 1988, a total of 676 new cherry trees were planted at a cost of $101,558 in private funds donated to the Blossoms In Our Future campaign. The National Park Service sponsored the campaign to help restore the number of trees to what they were at the time of the original gift from Japan.

In 1994, the Festival was expanded to two weeks to accommodate the many activities.

Today the National Cherry Blossom Festival(R) is coordinated by the National Cherry Blossom Festival Inc., an umbrella organization consisting of a coalition of business, civic, and governmental organizations. More than 600,000 vistors come to Washington to see the cherry blossoms and celebrate the beginning of spring in our nation's capital.

Since the National Park Service has been keeping records of the blooming dates, the earliest blooming date as been March 15, 1990, and the latest date was marked on April 18, 1958. The average blooming date--that time when the blooms are considered to reach their peak--is April 5 for the Yoshino and April 22 for the double flowering Kwansan trees, mostly seen in East Potomac Park.