[Archived] Memorial Circle Planting to Begin in Early May


Media Advisory
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:	Tuesday, April 27, 1999
Contact:	Angelita Plemmer, City Manager's Office, (703) 838-4300; Michael Wilson, Assistant Superintendent ; George Washington Memorial Parkway, (703) 289-2511; Al Cox, Staff Architect Alexandria Department of Planning and Zoning, (703) 838-3866; Ron Kagawa, Staff Landscape Architect Alexandria Department of Planning and Zoning, (703) 838-3866; Marian Clarke Old Town North Urban Design Advisory Committee, (703) 549-8146

Memorial Circle Planting to Begin in Early May

The National Park Service will begin planting next month a circle of 49 Corinthian Linden trees on the George Washington Memorial Parkway, at the north end of Old Town in Alexandria. The trees will be planted in a double row to recreate the landscape feature of the Memorial Circle traffic rotary that was the northern gateway to Old Town in the original 1932 Parkway design. The 1932 circle slightly re-oriented the alignment of Washington Street for those driving north to create a vista of the Washington Monument and to serve as a transition between the pastoral portion of the Parkway and the more urban character of Old Town. The trees in the circle were the most formally arranged of any along the Parkway and were originally planted as a memorial to the Alexandrians who had died in World War I and to commemorate the seven Virginians who served as U.S. presidents. Despite citizen opposition, the traffic circle was removed in 1962 to meet increased traffic demands.

The new landscape plan was proposed by staff members of the City of Alexandria departments of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities and Planning and Zoning. The plan also was endorsed by citizen organizations, City commissions and the Alexandria City Council in 1996. The proposal was accepted by the National Park Service, which will install the trees under a recently approved National Park Service Challenge Cost Share grant.