Piece of Washington Elm

01

Artifact Overview

On July 3, 1775, George Washington took command of the Continental Army in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This act, according to legend, occurred under a stately elm. The story, whether true or fictitious, and the tree itself connected Americans with the Revolutionary-era principles that helped form our unique national identity. When the 200-year-old tree fell in 1923, people saved the wood as mementos.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Fragment (Object portion)

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

38.187.2

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Boston Antique Shop.

Material

Elm (Wood)

Color

Brown

Dimensions

Height: 3.75 in
Width: 1.75 in
Length: 1 in

Inscriptions

on end, in pencil: Cambridge / Elm In pencil on two sides: Washington Elm
Piece of Washington Elm