Series I. Document Files by Person. 1909-1986, No Date. 2.25 boxes.
Series I is organized by the names of those persons who played a role in establishing Japanese flowering cherry trees in Potomac Park, Washington, D.C. Materials included are letters, obituaries, biographical information, articles, hand-written notes made by Roland Jefferson and others, memoranda, telegrams, a bibliography authored by David Grandison Fairchild, press releases, reports, and lists. The materials are mostly photocopies of original materials held by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Folders are in alphabetical order by last name of the individual.
Series II. Official Correspondence. 1909-1946, No Date. 2 boxes.
Series II includes transcribed or photocopied letters and memoranda detailing the history of Japanese flowering cherry trees established in Potomac Park, Washington, D.C. The materials are organized in chronological order.
Series III. Correspondence. 1909-1965. .75 box.
Series III is composed of letters from the public primarily asking for information about the history, significance, and blooming periods of the Washington, D.C. flowering cherry trees, and how to obtain cherry trees for their personal gardens. The items in this series consist of photocopies and transcriptions of original letters, and are arranged in chronological order.
Series IV. Newspaper Articles and Publications. 1909-1993, No Date. 2 boxes.
Series IV contains newspaper and magazine articles, pamphlets, and other publications which relate to cherry trees planted in the District of Columbia. The majority of the news accounts are from local papers such as the Washington Star and Washington Post. Most materials are photocopies of original documents; however, a draft outline and published copy of The Japanese Flowering Cherry Trees of Washington, D.C.: A Living Symbol of Friendship is also included. This series is arranged chronologically.
Series V. Plants and Landscaping of National Capital and City Parks. 1809-1979. 1.75 box.
Series V contains files which relate to the historical development, landscaping, and planting of national and city parks in the District of Columbia. Materials are photocopies or transcriptions of original documents and include correspondence, memoranda, newspaper articles, publications, reports, press releases, and Congressional legislation. Correspondence and memoranda from officials in government agencies, such as National Capital Parks in the National Park Service and the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds, account for the bulk of materials. Topics include plans for development, landscaping, and planting trees and shrubs at various parks and monuments; purchase of cherry trees and other planting materials; inquiries from the public regarding park landscaping and maintenance and cherry tree varieties, blooming dates, and care; and the impact of storms and floods on cherry trees. This series is arranged alphabetically by subject and chronologically within each subject.
Series VI. Diseases and Pests of Japanese Cherry Trees. 1910-1975. .25 box.
Series VI contains materials compiled by Roland Jefferson which relate to the diseases and pests of Japanese cherry trees imported to the United States. Materials are primarily photocopies of original documents and include memoranda, correspondence, telegrams, newspaper clippings, reprints, and Jefferson's own correspondence and research notes. Correspondence and memoranda from officials in the National Park Service (NPS) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) account for the bulk of materials. Topics covered include the infestation of the first gift of Japanese cherry trees in 1910; pests and diseases introduced to the United States by Japanese cherry trees; and USDA Quarantine 37 regulations preventing the import of a gift of trees from Japan during the administration of President Lyndon Baines Johnson. This series is arranged chronologically.
Series VII. Cherry Blossom Festivals in Washington, D.C. 1920-1970. .75 box.
Series VII consists primarily of photocopies of original materials which document cherry blossom festivals held in Washington, D.C. Types of materials include memoranda, correspondence, programs, speeches and addresses, and newspaper articles. Subjects include planning and programming of the cherry blossom festivals; inquiries and comments from the public; and the donation from Japan of a memorial tablet, stone lantern, and the Mikimoto Pearl Crown. Noteworthy is the list of bloom dates from 1924-1958 found in Box 8 Folder 5. This series is arranged in chronological order.
Series VIII. Cherry Tree Documents held by the National Archives and Records Administration. 1907-circa 1973. .25 box.
Series VIII contains microfilm and photocopies of materials held by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). It includes correspondence, memoranda, and reports from Record Group 59: General Records of the Department of State, Numerical File, 1906-1910 and Record Group 42: Records of the Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital. Materials from Record Group 59 relate to the shipment, inspection, and destruction of the first gift of cherry trees from Japan in 1910. Materials from Record Group 42 relate to the development of public buildings and grounds and to planting plans and materials for District of Columbia parks. This series is arranged chronologically.
Series IX. Cherry Tree Photographs. circa 1863 to 1979. 2 boxes.
Photographs primarily consist of print and negative reproductions from the holdings of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. Images include the arrival, inspection, and destruction of the first batch of Japanese flowering cherry trees in 1910; cherry trees lining scenic waterways in Japan; portraits of David Grandison Fairchild and the various varieties of cherry trees he grew at his home, "In the Woods," in Chevy Chase, Maryland; the construction of Potomac Park and the Lincoln Memorial; and cherry trees in bloom around the national monuments and in parks in the District of Columbia. Images often have both print and negative versions; however, many exist in only one form. Also included are photocopies of images held by the Library of Congress. These primarily depict cherry and other commemorative trees planted in Washington, D.C. Each subseries is arranged chronologically.
- Subseries IX.A. Prints.
- Subseries IX.B. Negatives.
- Subseries IX.C. Photocopies from Library of Congress.