358 
District of Columbia 
WASHINGTON (1) 
Unitep States BoTANiIc GARDEN 
Established: May 8, 1820. Area: 5 acres. Increased, 1824, to 
12.5 acres. The Botanic Garden property also includes 22.58 
acres known as Poplar Point Nursery, adjacent to Anacostia 
Park, added in 1926, 
After about 20 years the Garden was discontinued and the prop- 
erty, which had been assigned to the Columbian Institute for botanic 
garden purposes, reverted to the Federal Government. Thomas 
Jefferson, John Adams, James Madison, and Lafayette were mem- 
bers of the Institute and active in promoting the Botanic Garden. 
Re-established: May 15, 1850, by Act of Congress, on the pres- 
ent site on the Mall. The name “ Botanic Garden” was not offi- 
cially applied to the site until August 18, 1856, when the Joint 
Committee on the Library was charged by Congress with its ad- 
ministration. “... all annual maintenance appropriations, par- 
ticularly those providing for the employment of the necessary 
personnel of the gardens, have always been suldnionelace to be ex- 
pended under the direction of this committee. . 
(Superintendents): Directors (Title changed, 1920) : 
Wilham D. Brackenridge (Horticulturist) (1842-1852) 
. William R. Smith, Gardener (1853-1863 or 64); Supt. 
(1863 or 64-1912) 
Charles Leslie Reynolds (July 15, 1912-1913) 
George W. Hess (December 22, 1913—June 30, 1934) 
David Lynn (architect of the Capitol), acting (July 3 
1934- ) 
Note: According to a preliminary Report on the United States 
Botanic Garden by the House (of Representatives) Committee 
on the Library (73rd Congress, 2nd Session. House Committee 
Print. Congressman Kent E. Keller, Chairman; John G. Brad- 
ley, Clerk, Washington, 1934), the activities of the Garden in 
recent years “have consisted mainly in the purchase, care, and 
distribution of growing plants. ... Comparatively speaking, 
propagation, experimentation, and kindred activities have been lim- 
ited. Another activity of the Garden . . . is the giving away of 
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