The site is right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Washington, D.C. but it is also a hidden gem as it’s not well-advertised and, while it's noted on roadside signs, once entering the location, I found signage to be vague.
1. Plans for the memorial were started in 1973, shortly after the President’s death. Money for the site was raised by the LBJ Grove Memorial Committee which totaled over $2 million in donations from people all over the U.S. The memorial site was chosen by Lady Bird Johnson.
2. Located on Columbia Island, which has since been renamed Lady Bird Johnson Park, the memorial is a serene place sandwiched in between busy roadways, the Boundary Channel and has views of the beautiful Potomac River. Mrs. Johnson chose this site because she and the President would often stop here as it was a favorite place to relax and reflect.
3. Two parts make up the memorial. The first consists of paths and pine trees and its center is a large granite monolith. Surrounding this section of the memorial are four quotes from LBJ carved into stone on the ground. The second part of the memorial is a grass meadow made up of various trees, flowers and other foliage.
4. The memorial was designed by landscape architect Meade Palmer. The granite was sculpted by Harold Vogel. Mrs. Johnson worked closely with these designers during the process.
5. The granite monolith is 19 feet tall and was quarried in Texas, the home state of LBJ.
6. There are 900 white pine trees that surround the memorial, except the side that faces the Potomac. Views of D.C. are clear, along with the Washington Monument. Other foliage that frames the memorial include dogwoods, azaleas and rhododendron.
9. Benches are placed in the grove for visitors to sit and also reflect. In the warmer months, you’ll see birds, butterflies, bees and squirrels, to name a few.
10. The site is open year-round during daylight hours and closes at dusk.
You can enter Lady Bird Park from the George Washington Memorial Parkway. It’s a little hard to find as once you see the sign directing you to the memorial, when you pull in, we did not see any markers leading us to the grove. You pull into the parking lot and the memorial is off to the right; the marina is straight ahead and then winds to the left of the channel. There are also restrooms and an eatery located next to the parking lot.
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Want to know more? Read on.
10 facts about the Lyndon B. Johnson Memorial Grove
1. Plans for the memorial were started in 1973, shortly after the President’s death. Money for the site was raised by the LBJ Grove Memorial Committee which totaled over $2 million in donations from people all over the U.S. The memorial site was chosen by Lady Bird Johnson.
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| Path leading up to the memorial |
2. Located on Columbia Island, which has since been renamed Lady Bird Johnson Park, the memorial is a serene place sandwiched in between busy roadways, the Boundary Channel and has views of the beautiful Potomac River. Mrs. Johnson chose this site because she and the President would often stop here as it was a favorite place to relax and reflect.
3. Two parts make up the memorial. The first consists of paths and pine trees and its center is a large granite monolith. Surrounding this section of the memorial are four quotes from LBJ carved into stone on the ground. The second part of the memorial is a grass meadow made up of various trees, flowers and other foliage.
4. The memorial was designed by landscape architect Meade Palmer. The granite was sculpted by Harold Vogel. Mrs. Johnson worked closely with these designers during the process.
5. The granite monolith is 19 feet tall and was quarried in Texas, the home state of LBJ.
6. There are 900 white pine trees that surround the memorial, except the side that faces the Potomac. Views of D.C. are clear, along with the Washington Monument. Other foliage that frames the memorial include dogwoods, azaleas and rhododendron.
7. The memorial grove opened on April 6, 1976. At the dedication ceremony on this date, Lady Bird Johnson said,
“This strip of land will always be a special place for me... It appears at the moment when you come over a rise and look down into the Potomac Valley and see the capital spread out with its great monuments... The years never diminished the feeling of pride and elation we felt in those beautiful buildings that belong to all of us.” (courtesy of National Park Service)8. You can see the Pentagon across the way from the Columbia Island Marina, which is located on the island where this park is located.
9. Benches are placed in the grove for visitors to sit and also reflect. In the warmer months, you’ll see birds, butterflies, bees and squirrels, to name a few.
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| Critter spotted at the memorial site |
10. The site is open year-round during daylight hours and closes at dusk.
You can enter Lady Bird Park from the George Washington Memorial Parkway. It’s a little hard to find as once you see the sign directing you to the memorial, when you pull in, we did not see any markers leading us to the grove. You pull into the parking lot and the memorial is off to the right; the marina is straight ahead and then winds to the left of the channel. There are also restrooms and an eatery located next to the parking lot.
Sources:
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