To commemorate the donation, three trees with historic connections to Abraham Lincoln were planted at President Lincolns Cottage on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home by students and representatives of the local and national organizations to celebrate the life of Lincoln and the first day of spring. The trees planted were the Gettysburg Address Honey Locust and a Lincoln Tomb White Oak, offspring of trees growing at these sites since Lincolns time. The third tree was a dogwood grown from a tree currently growing a Lincolns birthplace.

“The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the District of Columbia is delighted to donate three trees propagated from the seedlings of trees at historic sites to the Armed Forces Retirement Home,” said NSCDA-DC member, Cici Hughes, “What better place could there be to plant them than right on the grounds of the AFRH where President Lincolns Cottage is located!

American Forests is proud to plant these trees from the landscape of Lincolns life at his summer White House to celebrate the 200th anniversary of his birth. Were honored to partner on this effort with The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the District of Columbia, with the help of our friends at Davey Tree Expert Company,said Deborah Gangloff, Executive Director of American Forests.

A bagpiper led the students to the site where they were greeted by actors representing President and Mrs. Lincoln. Younger students were greeted with an environmental education message by the larger-than-life Treeture character, Blossom. David Watkins, Director of the Armed Forces Retirement Home, together with Frank Milligan of President Lincolns Cottage; Susan Norton, Director of the National Geographic Museum; Deborah Gangloff, Executive Director of American Forests, were the keynote speakers for the event. Virginia E. Hayes Williams, mother of the former DC Mayor, Anthony A.Williams, sang a blessing for the trees. Representatives from The Davey Tree Expert Company gave a demonstration on planting trees.

The students from the ABC Charter School and the William E. Doar, Jr. Public Charter School for the Performing Arts received authentic Gettysburg Sycamore growing seed cards for them to take home and plant. The Gettysburg Sycamore lines the street on which Abraham Lincoln drove on his way to Gettysburg.

National Society of Colonial Dames of America in the District of Columbia founded in 1891, the NSCDA is a lineage organization of approximately 15,000 women members who are direct descendants of an ancestor who rendered service in an American Colony prior to 1776.

The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America actively promotes our national heritage in the areas of Museum Properties Preservation: Patriotic Services: Historical Activities.  Please visit www.nscda.org.

President Lincolns Cottage was designated a National Monument by President Clinton in 2000. President Lincolns Cottage served as Lincolns family residence for a quarter of his presidency, and is the most significant historic site directly associated with Lincolns presidency aside from the White House. President Lincolns Cottage is located on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in northwest Washington, D.C. and has been restored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a private, non-profit organization. For more information, please visit
www.lincolncottage.org

Armed Forces Retirement Homes mission is to fulfill our nations commitment to its Veterans by providing a premier retirement community with exceptional residential care and extensive support services. For more information, please visit www.afrh.com.