Oklahoma Survivor Tree Dedicated on U.S. Capitol Grounds

Earlier this week, Representative Stephanie Bice, Senator James Lankford, Senator Markwayne Mullin, Representative Frank Lucas, Representative Josh Brecheen and other distinguished guests gathered on the U.S. Capitol Grounds to dedicate a sapling propagated from cuttings of the Oklahoma Survivor Tree.

The Oklahoma Survivor Tree, an American elm, endured the blast from the 1995 bombing of Oklahoma City's Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and became a living symbol of resolve and resilience.

"Saplings of the Survivor Tree have been planted in countless yards and parks across the nation…" said Thomas E. Austin, Architect of the Capitol. "We plant this tree in view of the historic Summerhouse, built in 1881 to provide a place of rest to weary travelers. This house is still used for that function today and now its visitors can be reminded of Oklahomans’ enduring spirit of resilience for years to come."

The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) cares for the historic and picturesque areas surrounding the U.S. Capitol. The U.S. Capitol Grounds were designed by famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted in 1874, and the AOC continues to follow his plan for creating an urban oasis in the nation's capital.