The National Mall in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
German-American Friendship Garden
National Mall and Memorial Parks
| | National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior | |
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 26, 2019
1. German-American Friendship Garden Marker
"One magnificent symbol of the bonds that tie our two great peoples together is the German-American Friendship Garden...In its growth, our own commitments to the well-being of America and Germany shall be cultivated and nurtured."
President Ronald Reagan, October 6, 1988
The first organized group of German immigrants landed on American shores on October 6, 1683. They purchased land from William Penn, proprietor of Pennsylvania, and established the village of Germantown. The Deshler-Morris House (left) is also known as the Germantown White House because President George Washington used it in the 1790s while Philadelphia served as the national capital.
In 1983, President Ronald Reagan established the Presidential Commission for the German-American Tricentennial. The commission's planning included this landscape designed by Wolfgang Oehme. During German Chancellor Helmut Kohl's final White House meeting with President Reagan on November 15, 1988 (above), Kohl noted the spirit of "friendship and solidarity" this garden evokes.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era
this page online
Location. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby. It was located near 38° 53.512′ N, 77° 2.182′ W. Marker was in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It was in The National Mall. It was at the intersection of Constitution Avenue Northwest (U.S. 50) and 17th Street Northwest, on the right when traveling east on Constitution Avenue Northwest. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 1600 Constitution Avenue Northwest, Washington DC 20006, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker was in the Washington Metropolitan Area. It was also in the American Northeast, in the Upper South, in the Mid-Atlantic, in the Tidewater, and in the Chesapeake Bay Region. Globally, it was in the North Atlantic Region, 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 location: A Friendship in Full Flower (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named The German-American Friendship Garden (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named The German-American Friendship Garden (within shouting distance of this marker); Second Infantry Division Memorial (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); A Monumental Legacy (about
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 26, 2019
2. German-American Friendship Garden Marker
Other markers no longer nearby. German-American Friendship Garden (has been replaced with this marker); a different marker also named A Monumental Legacy (was about 700 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
More about this marker. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 19, 2025. It was originally submitted on February 26, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 506 times since then and 20 times this year. Last updated on August 17, 2025, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 26, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
