Philadelphia - Independence National Historical Park has received a $70,000 donation from the Society Hill Preservation Foundation, a subsidiary of the Society Hill Civic Association, to fund the Washington Square Tree Canopy Project. The project will thin the canopy of the trees in the Square to allow more light to reach the surface, promoting the growth of small trees, grass, and other plants. "We would like to thank the Society Hill Preservation Foundation for their donation - it will help the National Park Service to keep Washington Square looking its best for park visitors as well as the local community who enjoy using the square every day. We are extremely grateful to have such wonderful partners to support Independence National Historical Park," said Park Superintendent Cynthia MacLeod.
One of five original squares in the 1682 plan for William Penn’s city, Washington Square was named in honor of George Washington in 1825. The square has, over its lifetime, served as a potter’s field, Revolutionary War burial ground, pasture, market place, site of congregation and burial for free and enslaved Africans. It is a public square, a commemorative landscape and an urban park. A statue of Washington marks the site of the memorial tomb, reminding visitors of the words of President Washington, still inspirational today: “The independence and liberty you possess are the work of joint councils and joint efforts - of common dangers, sufferings, and success."
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
