National Tribute Grove Rediscovered And Rededicated

After sitting for decades in the shade of obscurity, the National Tribute Grove, 5,000 acres of old-growth coast redwoods set aside in 1949 in honor of veterans of World War II, is once again shining in the public spotlight and our country’s hearts as a “memorial of eternal gratitude, eternally expressed.”

On Saturday, September 27th, Redwood National and State Parks, in partnership with the Del Norte Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), hosted a rededication event for the 65th anniversary of the National Tribute Grove.

The event began in the early morning under the redwoods with a color guard provided by a unit of the U. S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps, and speakers from the National Park Service, California State Parks, the DAR, and World War II Medal of Honor recipient Robert D. Maxwell, who also received the honor of lifting the veil covering the grove’s newly relocated stone monument marker.

The event continued in the town of Crescent City, California, with a DAR-hosted luncheon, speakers and an illustrated presentation on the history of the grove by NPS ranger Michael Poole, who spoke of the meaning of the grove not only as a tribute to those who served in World War II, but also as a tribute and place of solace and reflection for those who still serve today.

The 5,000-acre grove of old-growth coast redwoods was originally purchased in partnership by Save the Redwoods League, Daughters of the American Revolution, Garden Club of America, the State of California, and thousands of public donations. The founders of the memorial thought the ancient and scarred trees a most fitting medium to remember the veterans of World War II.

As the trees’ scientific name implies, Sequoia sempervirens (“ever-green” or “ever-living” Sequoia) may live 2,000 years or more—longer than most human-made monuments. As Dr. Ray Lyman Wilbur, former Secretary of the Interior said, “Instead of stone or concrete, this monument is made up of living trees, survivors of centuries of combat with storm, drought, fire and flood.”

The memorial and its meanings, however, seemed largely forgotten in recent years, due in part to the monument marker itself, which languished in relative obscurity on the side of U.S. 199 as road and vegetation changes gradually hid it in shadows.

In order to ensure the tribute is never again forgotten, in mid-September Redwood National and State Parks employees moved the stone marker with its original dedication plaque from the highway to its new location in the day-use area of Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. Here, this unparalleled monument to the sacrifices of American veterans will be more easily and safely viewed, appreciated, and remembered for generations to come. The grove will long continue not only as a tribute to those who served in World War II, but also as a place of solace and reflection for those who still serve today.

The relocation and rededication of the monument in 2014 is a most appropriate way to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the California State Parks System. And, in a convergence of dates, 2014 is also the 20th anniversary of the unique partnership between California State Parks and the National Park Service that created Redwood National and State Parks.

As both the creation of the National Tribute Grove in 1949 and Redwood National and State Parks in 1994 illustrate, the power of partnerships to preserve special places cannot and should not be underestimated.