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Laceleaf Japanese maple tree, ca. 1864
This tree was one of five maples imported from Japan for the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, held on the grounds of the University of Washington in 1909. The Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm designed the grounds with a mix of plants native to the once forested location and ornamentals for the formal gardens.
Julius J. Bonnell, the fair’s official florist, dedicated the maples to building closer commercial relations between the U.S. and all Pacific countries, a key theme of the event. After the fair, Bonnell moved this maple back to his nursery in Renton, and in 1964 his son donated it to MOHAI. The maple was uprooted again in 2012 when MOHAI moved to its current location in Lake Union Park.
Julius J. Bonnell, the fair’s official florist, dedicated the maples to building closer commercial relations between the U.S. and all Pacific countries, a key theme of the event. After the fair, Bonnell moved this maple back to his nursery in Renton, and in 1964 his son donated it to MOHAI. The maple was uprooted again in 2012 when MOHAI moved to its current location in Lake Union Park.
ID Number: 1964.3248
Date: Circa 1864
Physical Description: 1 Specimen, Plant; plant; varies
Place Made: Japan
Credit: MOHAI, 1964.3248. In Memory of Julius Bonnell