The National Mall in Southwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Sassafras • Wináhk (Wee-nock)
For centuries, Native peoples have used the bark, roots, and leaves of the sassafras tree as medicine and flavoring in food and beverages.
As Native peoples taught settlers how to harvest and use sassafras, demand grew quickly. In the 1700s, it became one of the largest exports to England, second only to tobacco. The Shawnee continue to harvest sassafras today, drinking tea made from root bark to remove impurities from the blood.
Did you know that sassafras root is used as a flavoring in one of the most popular soft drinks, root beer?
Erected by Smithsonian Institution.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Industry & Commerce • Native Americans. A significant historical year for this entry is 1700.
Location. Marker has been permanently removed. It was located near 38° 53.31′ N, 77° 1.001′ W. Marker was in Southwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It was in The National Mall. Marker could be reached from Jefferson Drive Southwest west of 3rd Street Southwest, on the right when traveling east. On the grounds of the National Museum of the American Indian. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 482 Independence Avenue Southwest, Washington DC 20024, United States of America.
We
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location. Cardinal Direction Marker: North (within shouting distance of this marker); Rick Bartow (within shouting distance of this marker); George Rivera (within shouting distance of this marker); Traditional Croplands (within shouting distance of this marker); Cardinal Direction Marker: South (within shouting distance of this marker); Nora Naranjo-Morse (within shouting distance of this marker); Cardinal Direction Marker: West (within shouting distance of this marker); National Native American Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Southwest Washington.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 14, 2017, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 210 times since then and 14 times this year. Last updated on February 10, 2018, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 13, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
