German-American Friendship Garden
Celebrating 300 Years of Friendship
“One magnificent symbol of the bonds that tie our two great peoples together is the German-American Friendship Garden. This symbol of eternally renewing growth and strength will be dedicated this autumn here in the Capital. In its growth, our own commitments to the well-being of America and Germany shall be cultivated and nurtured.”
– President Ronald Reagan, October 6, 1988.
On October 6, 1683, the first organized group of German immigrants arrived on these shores. They purchased land from William Penn, the proprietor of Pennsylvania, and established the village of Germantown. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan established the Presidential Commission for the German-America Tricentennial. Their planning included the garden you see before you.
[Photo captions:]
The Deshler-Morris House, also called the Germantown White House, sheltered President George Washington and his family. It still stands today as the oldest surviving presidential residence.
Chancellor Helmut Kohl and President Ronald Reagan speaking from the White House, November 15, 1988. The occasion marked their last meeting and the dedication of the garden.
The German-American Friendship Garden was designed by Wolfgang Oehme, strategically placed between the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and the White House, and is the only memorial on the Washington Monument grounds. Benches and fountains to the east and west create a welcoming terrace for visitors. A variety of perennial flowers, shrubs and trees found in both countries demonstrate Reagan’s wish to symbolize “...eternally renewing growth and strength.
Marker is on Constitution Avenue, NW east of 17th Street, NW, on the right when traveling east.
Courtesy hmdb.org
