Washington Square Moon Tree Philadelphia, Pa
Posted by: chstress53
N 39° 56.824 W 075° 09.132
18S E 486997 N 4421893
The bicentennial moon tree, is a sycamore tree (Platanus occidentalis) planted from seeds on May 6, 1975, and it is flourishing in the Square. The seeds were carried to the moon by astronaut Stuart Roosa on Apollo XIV.
Waymark Code: WMKE8
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 08/07/2006
Views: 99
Washington Square was one of Philadelphia's five original squares as laid out in 1682 by William Penn. The Quakers called it Southeast Square. Within 25 years of Penn's arrival, the square was being used as a potter's field and a burial yard for strangers in the city. Improvement started in the form of a public walk in 1815. A tree-planting program began, and the Square now bears 60 varieties of trees. The six-acre Southeast Square was renamed Washington Square in 1825 to honor the great general and first President. The tomb of the Unknown Soldier is located within the Square and reads: "Beneath this stone rests a soldier of Washington's army who died to give you liberty." An eternal flame burns in front of a bronze sculpture of George Washington, which faces nearby Independence Hall.
The Park is open to the public.