Columbia Island in Southwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Architect of the Great Society

George Washington Memorial Parkway

— Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove —

Architect of the Great Society Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Shane Oliver, September 7, 2021

1. Architect of the Great Society Marker

Inscription.

"Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose." - Lyndon Baines Johnson

The Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac is a living memorial, surrounded by a grove of white pines and dogwoods bordered by azaleas and wildflowers. The focal point of the memorial is a 19 foot monolith made of sunset red granite quarried 35 miles from President Johnson’s Texas ranch home. The granite monolith weights about 34 tons and is estimated to be one billion years old. The stone was chiseled to embody Johnson’s rugged, dynamic personality. Surrounding the memorial is a broad grassy meadow that provides visitors a place for physical and mental rejuvenation.

The living memorial reflects the Johnson administration’s commitment to preserving the nation’s natural heritage. President Johnson designated 3.6 million acres of land as park land and signed into law the Wilderness Act and Clean Air Act. Around the base of the memorial are four quotes chosen by Lady Bird Johnson that reflects important elements of Johnson’s Great Society program. One of the main goals of the Great Society was to promote the

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upward mobility of society and increase the quality of life for average Americans. Johnson’s programs included over 60 educational bills and his signature “war on poverty” that created programs such as Medicare. Johnson’s first legislative accomplishment was the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, the first civil rights policy for almost 100 years that outlawed segregation in America. Over 1000 pieces of legislation became law during his 5-year administration.

[Captions:]
Lyndon B. Johnson
1908-1973
36th President of the United States
1963-1969

Johnson is pictured talking to Martin Luther King, Jr. (left) about the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and how to improve communities across America.

Erected 2021 by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Government & Politics • Parks & Recreational Areas. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #36 Lyndon B. Johnson, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1964.

Location. 38° 52.713′ N, 77° 3.195′ W. Marker is in Southwest

Photographed by Shane Oliver, September 7, 2021

2. Architect of the Great Society Marker

The ”Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” marker can be seen to the right.

Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is on Columbia Island. It is on Boundary Channel Drive, on the right when traveling north. The marker stands a deck adjacent to the footbridge crossing onto Columbia Island. Use the footbridge to access the Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 104 Boundary Channel Drive, Arlington VA 22202, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American Northeast,

in the Upper South,

in the Mid-Atlantic,

in the Tidewater,

and in the Chesapeake Bay Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: "Where flowers bloom, so does hope" (here, next to this marker); The Memorial Grove (about 500 feet away); Tomb of Remembrance (approx. 0.3 miles away in Virginia); Navy and Marine Memorial (approx. 0.4 miles away); Building a Beautiful Bridge (approx. half a mile away); An Engineering Marvel

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(approx. half a mile away); Canada's Gift to the United States (approx. 0.6 miles away); Air Mail (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Southwest Washington.

Other markers no longer nearby. The Boundary Channel (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Tomorrow is ours to win or lose (was about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line but has been reported to have been replaced with another marker now near it); First Bloom (was about 600 feet away but has been confirmed missing).

Credits. This page was last revised on January 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 9, 2021, by Shane Oliver of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 453 times since then and 55 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 9, 2021, by Shane Oliver of Richmond, Virginia. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.