Today in History

This is from today's American Memory page at the Library of Congress website:

On March 27, 1912, First Lady Helen Herron Taft and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted two Yoshino cherry trees on the northern bank of the Potomac River Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. The event celebrated the Japanese government's gift of 3,020 trees to the United States. Trees were planted along the Potomac Tidal Basin near the site of the future Jefferson Memorial, in East Potomac Park, and on the White House grounds.

Fifty three years later, the Japanese government made a second gift of cherry trees. In 1965, Mrs. Ryuji Takeuchi, wife of Ambassador Takeuchi, and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson participated in the ceremonial planting. This time, the trees were planted on the grounds of the Washington Monument...

There's more on the history of D.C., and on how the cherry tree project came about, plus more. The American Memory "Today in History" pages aren't little snippets like at some other sites - and they generally have quite a few links.

And, for anyone who may not know, the First Lady's nickname, which she used in lieu of her real name, was Lady Bird. Therefore, it is correct to call her First Lady Lady Bird, etc. (Just in case you thought it might have been an editing error.) She was very big on beautification projects, and not just in Washington D.C.

The Cherry Blossom Festival for this year is March 26 through April 10. The National Cherry Blossom Parade will be Saturday, April 9. The festival website is at http://www.nps.gov/nacc/cherry/.