Ephemeral. Ethereal. A moment in time.
Washington’s cherry blossoms have a century-old history and different meanings that come with that history. But at their core, they serve as both a welcome harbinger of spring and a reminder that spring, as with all seasons of life, does not last forever.
Symbol of Peace
Strange as it sounds, the cherry blossom trees in the nation’s capital have their roots in a war over a century old, that took place half a world away, and in which the United States did not participate. In 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt served as an intermediary for negotiations that led to the Treaty of Portsmouth, which ended the Russo-Japanese War.
The efforts didn’t just make Roosevelt the first president to win the Nobel Peace Prize for his part in creating the opening for an end to the conflict. In part due to the diplomatic ties fostered during that period, Washington received a donation of cherry trees — officially a gift from Japan and its capital of Tokyo to the United States and its capital.
And while the first batch of trees, donated in 1910, had to be destroyed due to an infestation of insects, the second donation, made in 1912, has been preserved, with plantings made from the original trees’ cuttings to protect their genetic lineage.
Springtime Tourist Trap
As Washington grew in standing as a global capital in the first half of the 20th century, the cherry blossoms likewise rose in stature and repute. The Jefferson
