Dedicated on April 26, 1948, as a living memorial to the men who "Gave their last full measure of devotion to their county" in the war of 1861-1865, this American Beech Tree bears unique inscriptions carved by Samuel M'Closky Fenton, a young farmer who lived in this area during the Civil War period. The tree contains more than 450 carefully formed characters, including the names of presidents from Washington to Johnson, as well as Lt. General U.S. Grant and a Lincoln word square. In 1948, the Maryland - National Capital Park and Planning Commission enclosed the tree to protect it for posterity.
