Montana's DAR Markers . . . Honoring Where History Was Made

George Washington Bicentennial DAR Tree
GPS coordinates n/a
Commemorated George Washington’s Bicentennial
Site location Pioneer Park, Billings (tree has since died)
Installed September 30, 1932
HISTORY
During the September 30, 1932, bicentennial celebration of the
birth of George Washington, the Billings Washington Bicentennial
Committee, led by D.L. Chambers, presented 13 cedar trees planted in
Pioneer Park. The tree saplings came from a pasture in Ferry Farm, the
boyhood home of George Washington on the Rappahannock River
opposite Fredericksburg, Virginia. The trees represented the 13 original
colonies. They were shipped to Billings and planted in a semi-circle at
Pioneer Park.
At the 11:30 a.m. ceremony, Mayor F.L. Tilton presented the trees
to the 13 sponsoring organizations, which included the Shining
Mountain Chapter NSDAR, Kiwanis Club, Lions Club, Rotary Club,
Billings Commercial Club, Billings Garden Club, Masonic
organizations, American Legion Auxiliary, Veterans of Foreign Wars
Auxiliary, Knights of Columbus, YMCA, and DeMolay and DeMolay
alumni.
The seventh tree numbering from the west was the DAR tree.
The history of this park is also interesting. In 1918, the city had
purchased 35 acres northwest of the city for use as a city park. Rather
than name it after one of Billings’ early pioneers, the community named
its new park for all of them. In the summer of 1921, the Billings parks
board hired Dorothy M. Gray (her later married name was Johnson) to
191