Konnichiwa, Philadelphia! This year marks the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia's 10th
anniversary, but this is not the first time that Japanese
cherry trees have been planted in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. In 1926, as a gesture of friendship, the Japanese government donated 1,600 cherry trees to Philadelphia (some of which are still standing near the Horticultural Center in Fairmount Park). Again in 1933, another 2,500
flowering cherries and pink and white dogwoods were planted along the
East and West River Drives. We recently found out about The Memorial Book of Record
at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which contains the names of all the
donors from 1933. The list of names is too long to post here, but we
can post the book's introduction:
The Memorial Book of Record
in
The Philadelphia Museum of Art
In which are inscribed
The Names of Those Who Planted Trees
and
The Names of Those for Whom Trees were Planted
In Memory or in Tribute
Presented to the City of Philadelphia
by the
Women's Washington Bicentennial Committee
Mrs. George Horace Lorimer, Chairman
Citizens of Philadelphia, Patriotic Societies, Music Associations,
Civic Organizations, Women's Clubs, Garden Clubs,
and others participating
Dedicated May 8, 1933
In the presence of
His Excellency, Katsuji Debuchi, Ambassador of Japan
Hon. J. Hampton Moore, Mayor of Philadelphia
Mr. E. T. Stotesbury, President of the Fairmount Park Commission
Hon. Roland S. Morris, Former Ambassador to Japan
Mr. Fiske Kimball, Director of the Art Museum
Mr. George Elliot, Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce
Mrs. Joseph M. Caley, for the D. A. R.
Dr. Joseph Fort Newton
Dr. Josiah H. Penniman
Mr. Arthur H. Lea
and other distinguished Guests
A Living Memorial in Fairmount Park
The Gift of the Women of Philadelphia
The Women's Washington Bicentennial Committee was organized by the
Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. Mrs. George Horace Lorimer was chosen
Chairman; Mrs. E. T. Stotesbury, Honorary Chairman; Mrs. G. Harlan
Wells, Secretary, and Mrs. Curtis C. Eves, Treasurer. The Committee
included the Presidents or representatives of Women's Clubs, Patriotic
Societies, Music Associations, Civic Organizations, Garden Clubs and
other groups.
After many plans were presented, considered and rejected, the Committee
decided in favor of a Memorial that would represent sentiment and
feeling rather than individual expense. So they chose as their part in
the commemoration of the birth of George Washington a Living Memorial
-- the planting of flowering cherry trees, and pink and white dogwood,
along the River Drive in Fairmount Park.
All who are familiar with Washington in "cherry blossom time," when
the trees around the Basin are in full bloom, realize how great an
asset to Philadelphia these flowering trees would be, when grown to
their full bloom. Hundreds of clubwomen go each year to Washington to
see the cherry blossoms. Such a "shrine," or point of interest, would
create new beauty in Fairmount Park and bring many visitors to our City
each year.
The plan proposed by the Women's Committee was approved at a meeting
held in the Chamber of Commerce. It became a part of the national
program, celebrating the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the
birth of George Washington.
The planting of "Trees in Memory" or in "Tribute" grew from the many
requests received to plant trees in memory of dear ones lost of in
honor of those living. One wrote asking to plant a "tree of rejoicing"
for a son who had returned from the World War. Another wanted to plant
a tree in memory of a son lost in France. Trees were given for
relatives and friends, for parents, children and grandchildren.
Organizations planted trees to honor officers lost through death, and
in recognition of the long service of their present leaders.
When the plan was announced, the response was so enthusiastic and the
interest so great that to comply with all the requests more than
twenty-five hundred trees were planted along both the East and West
River Drives.
Conferences were held with the Fairmount Park Commission, and with
their approval the planting went forward. Blueprints were drawn by the
Chief Engineer and the head Landscape Gardener showing the exact
location for the placing of each tree.
On May 8th, the Dedication Ceremony was held in the Great Hall of the
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Fairmount. The City Band opened with the
National Anthem and closed with "America." Dr. Joseph Fort Newton
offered the Invocation. Mrs. Lorimer, on behalf of the Women's
Washington Bicentennial Committee presented the trees to the City of
Philadelphia. Mayor J. Hampton Moore accepted them, and in turn
presented them for permanent keeping to Mr. E. T. Stotesbury, President
of the Fairmount Park Commission. The Japanese Chamber of Commerce of
New York added a group of flowering cherry trees to those given by the
citizens of Philadelphia and the women's groups. His Excellency,
Katsuji Debuchi, the Japanese Ambassador, came from Washington to
express his pleasure in his country's joining the planting.
Among the distinguished guests on the Platform were Mme. Debuchi, Hon.
Roland S. Morris, former Ambassador to Japan, and Mrs. Morris; Dr. and
Mrs. Joseph Fort Newton; Judge and Mrs. Charles Sinkler; Mrs. Fiske
Kimball, Director of the Art Museum, and Mrs. Kimball; Hon. Frederick
H. Watson, Consul General for Great Britain, and Mrs. Watson; Hon.
William Findlay Brown, of the Fairmount Park Commission; George W.
Elliott, Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce; Mr. Arthur H. Lea, Mrs.
Joseph M. Caley representing the D. A. R., and others.
The attachment of individual labels to trees in Fairmount Park is
forbidden by the Commission, so a "Memorial Book of Record" was
prepared under the direction of the Women;s Committee. This permanent
record is more enduring than individual markers of any kind, and in
several other states a Book of Record has been found to be the best and
most permanent way of preserving such data.
In the "Memorial Book of Record" are inscribed the names of all those
who planted trees and of all those for whom trees were planted. This
book, illuminated in color and bound in blue leather, with the seal of
Philadelphia tooled in gold, was presented to Mr. Fiske Kimball,
Director of the Art Museum, who accepted it with the promise that it
would be placed in the Museum, where for all time it shall record the
planting of the trees and the names of all those who had a part in this
civic work.
To record the work done, the Women;s Washington Bicentennial Committee,
with the co-operation of the Fairmount Park Commission, had a bronze
tablet, with date, set in the walk near the flowering cherry trees on
the East River Drive across from the Grant Monument. This follows the
plan of the City of Washington, where a tablet set in the path along
the Basic records the gift of the cherry trees to Mrs. William Howard
Taft by the Japanese Government. The tablet in Fairmount Park is
inscribed:
These Trees
Planted in Memory and in Tribute
Were Presented to
The City of Philadelphia
by the
Women's Washington Bicentennial Committee
Mrs. George H. Lorimer, Chairman
May 8th, 1933
In the presence of
The Ambassador of Japan
The President of the Fairmount Park Commission
The Mayor of Philadelphia
and Distinguished Guests
This Index to the "Memorial Book of Record" has been prepared for those
who co-operated in this civic and patriotic undertaking. It contains
each name entered in the Book in the Museum, indexed for convenience in
reference. A copy has been made for each one who planted a tree.
Women's Washington Bicentennial Committee
Mrs. George Horace Lorimer, Chairman
Mrs. E. T. Stotesbury, Honorary Chairman
Mrs. G. Harlan Wells, Secretary Mrs. Curtis C. Eves, Treasurer
Mrs. P. P. Sanford, Executive Secretary
Committee
Mrs. William W. Arnett
Mrs. Lewis A. Audenreid
Mrs. William L. Austin
Mrs. Edward Digby Baltzell
Mrs. John Hampton Barnes
Mrs. Harry H. Battles
Mrs. Edward W. Biddle
Mrs. Nicholas Biddle
Mrs. Rudolph Blankenburg
Mrs. Charles F. Bochman
Mrs. Gideon Boericke
Mrs. Edward Bok
Mrs. Louis Bregy
Mrs. Katherine Brinley
Mrs. H. Tatnall Brown, Jr.
Mrs. Sutherland Brown
Mrs. Martha A. Byrne
Mrs. Joseph M. Caley
Mrs. Harrison K. Caner, Jr.
Mrs. Joseph R. Carpenter, Jr.
Mrs. Robert Carson
Mrs. George Fritz Chandler
Mrs. Isaac H. Clothier, Jr.
Mrs. Thomas B. Constain
Mrs. Theron I. Crane
Mrs. Matthew H. Cryer
Mrs. Charles Day
Mrs. Frances X. Dercum
Mrs. Lewis R. Dick
Mrs. George Dallas Dixon
Mrs. Thomas J. Dolan
Mrs. Clarence W. Dolan
Mrs. William H. Donner
Mrs. Russel Duane
Mrs. George A. Dunning
Mrs. W. E. S. Dyer
Mrs. George H. Earle, Jr.
Mrs. A. Needom Eastman
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Mrs. Hiram B. Eliason
Mrs. George B. Evans
Mrs. Edward Beecher Finck
Mrs. Stanley G. Flagg
Mrs. L. Webster Fox
Mrs. John White Geary
Mrs. John Gilbert
Mrs. Charles Francis Griffith
Mrs. Martha R. Harkness
Mrs. Earle Hepburn
Mrs. C. Bertram Hervey
Mrs. Elise Howard-Smith
Mrs. Archibald B. Hubard
Mrs. Joseph B. Hutchinson
Mrs. John Jacobs
Mrs. Morris Jastrow
Mrs. Isaac W. Jeanes
Mrs. Alba B. Johnson
Mrs. J. Clifford Jones
Mrs. Henry D. Jump
Mrs. George DeBenneville Keim
Mrs. Gustav Ketterer
Mrs. Fiske Kimball
Mrs. A. Atwater Kent
Mrs. Wilmer Krusen
Mrs. Charles M. Lea
Mrs. Robert Bruce Lewis
Mrs. Edward S. Linch
Mrs. William E. Lingelbach
Mrs. J. Bertram Lippincott
Mrs. Horatio Gates Lloyd
Mrs. Stacy B. Lloyd
Mrs. Howard Longstreth
Mrs. Graeme Lorimer
Mrs. Percy C. Madeira
Mrs. Sydney E. Martin
Mrs. John C. Martin
Mrs. William Clarke Mason
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