‘I think it’s a lovely symbol’: State rep. helps bring tree from estate of George Washington to Capitol campus

OLYMPIA – As the country nears its 250th birthday, a lawmaker from Eastern Washington is working to build a deeper connection between the state Capitol and the state’s namesake.

Inspired by the landscape of his district in the northeastern corner of the state, state Rep. Hunter Abell, R-Inchelium, has helped coordinate the planting of a tree on the Capitol campus from the residence and plantation of the nation’s first president.

“We’ve got a lot of trees in the 7th district. And trees have roots,” Abell said in an interview. “And the roots of this state stretch all the way back to the estate in Mount Vernon in Virginia.”

Sometime this summer, a Black Gum tree from George Washington’s estate near the nation’s Capitol will be planted on the state Capitol campus, coinciding with next month’s semiquincentennial celebration.

“The idea struck me that the story of our state, being that we’re named after the president, it would make sense, it would be appropriate, if we had a tree that was connected to him in some way planted on our Capitol grounds,” Abell said. “And the anniversary of the country here, with our 250th anniversary, seemed like a great opportunity to do so.”

According to planning documents, the Black Gum Tree typically grows to a height of 30 to 50 feet and a width of 20 to 30 feet. The tree is native to the East Coast of North America and is resistant to most weather conditions. The tree’s berries and nectar are favorites of birds and mammals.

Abell said the Black Gum is a “beautiful tree that will look lovely on the Capitol campus and is hearty enough in our northwest winters.”

Brent Chapman, horticulturist and grounds property manager for the Capitol campus, said during a May 7 meeting of the Capitol Campus Design Advisory Committee that the state had the opportunity to choose from eight different trees.

“The Black Gum has beautiful ornamental features, it’s multiseasonal in its display, it’s a habitat tree for wildlife, the scale is appropriate for the proposed location,” Chapman said. “But most significantly, it’s native to an area that has poor drainage. And if you know anything about West Campus, we have poor drainage.”

While it will be planted in celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary, the tree can live for more than 600 years. The Mount Vernon estate will pay for the cost of the tree and transportation, while the state will pay about $600 to plant it and for a commemorative sign.

After discussions with staff at Mount Vernon, Abell approached Chapman earlier this year to see if there was space on the Capitol campus for the tree and if it was something the state had done previously.

“And the answer was yes on both of those, there is space for it, and there are various commemorative trees planted on the Capitol campus,” Abell said.

Abell said the goal is to plant the tree this year, though it’s not yet known when that will be.

“I think it’s a lovely symbol between our state and George Washington the person,” Abell said. “My hope is that in 50 or 100 years, people will be shaded by the branches of this tree, and they’ll see a small sign there that indicates it was planted on America’s 250th, and it comes from the estate of George Washington, and the people will find that something neat and meaningful.”

Once planted, the Black Gum tree will join other trees of historical significance on the campus.

A tree recognizing Cal Anderson, a Democrat from Seattle who served in both Legislative chambers and was the first openly gay member of the state Legislature, is planted on a sidewalk in between the state Capitol and the insurance buildings. The 16-foot Kwanzan flowering cherry tree was replanted in 2023 after the original tree, planted in the 1990s, was cut down without the knowledge of lawmakers. According to the Department of Enterprise Services, the tree was dying and was removed for safety reasons.

A large Douglas fir stands on the southeast side of the Capitol campus in recognition of the Apollo 14 mission to the moon. The tree was planted with a seedling that astronaut Stuart Roosa carried aboard the Kitty Hawk as it orbited the moon in 1971. Like the tree recognizing Anderson, a commemorative plaque notes the tree’s historical significance. In 2020, cuttings from the original tree were used to plant three more “moon trees.”

Just to the south of the Capitol campus, a large coastal redwood tree planted in Centennial Park celebrates former Gov. Dan Evans. The tree was planted in spring 1989 to celebrate the state’s 100th birthday and is the tallest tree in Olympia. The Daniel J. Evans Tree recognizes the governor known for his work on environmental issues.