By Daniya Tamendarova, ABC
Alexandria, VA – Have you visited Alexandria’s Bicentennial Trees? Back in the 1970s, the Bicentennial Tree Project sought to identify, recognize, and preserve trees that have witnessed the events of the American Revolution.
The project identified 17 trees. Today, only two of them still remain on public land: a willow oak along Holmes Run Trail that runs across from the Beatley Central Library, and a sweet gum at the Alexandria National Cemetery.
The willow oak—new directional signs along the trail will lead you to it—was estimated to be 270 years old in 1976 (which would make it almost 320 years old today). The sweet gum is nearly 250 years old.
Both still have their 1976 plaques, so you can’t miss them. The willow oak is on a hill overlooking the water, surrounded by a barrier and gnarled a bit by recent storms. The sweet gum stands at the bottom of the hill near the flagpole at the cemetery, several other big trees near it. Visit these two giants, think about the Alexandria history they’ve witnessed, and help preserve old trees in your neighborhood.
