In 1920, the city of Washington planted 507 Norway maple trees along 16th Street NW to honour residents who had died in the First World War. The memorial was arranged by the District of Columbia Department of the American Legion, and the trees stretched in a row between Alaska Avenue and Varnum Street, each paired with a small bronze marker bearing the name of a fallen soldier.

Washington, DC's Norway maple trees, originally planted as a WWI memorial, have become a significant ecological threat, overtaking native species in Rock Creek Park.

In 1920, the city of Washington planted 507 Norway maple trees along 16th Street NW to honour residents who had died in the First World War. The memorial was arranged by the…