Peace Arch, Washington

Picnic & Day-Use Facilities
There are 85 unsheltered picnic tables, including several ADA tables at the park, available first come, first serve.

Activities
Trails

0.6 miles of hiking trails

Other Activities & Features

Bird watching
Two horseshoe pits
Swing set and play field

Interpretive Opportunities
The park features horticultural displays and historical signage.

Additional Information

There is an annual Art In The Park exhibition May through September.
A swing set, play field, and playground are located in the park.

Boating Features
Peace Arch does not have a launch but there is one located in Drayton Harbor within walking distance of the park.

Group Facility Rental
The park provides a rentable day-use facility: The American Kitchen. Surrounded by 20, 000 flowers, this building features views of the San Juan islands, Point Roberts, Vancouver Island, Semiahmoo Bay, and the historic Peace Arch on the United States and Canadian border. A scenic location for meetings, company picnics, weddings, receptions and reunions, the American Kitchen has an interior capacity of 100 people and a combined grounds rental capacity of 400.

Reservations
Reservations can be made online or by calling 888-CAMPOUT (888-226-7688).

Historical Information
The 67-foot Peace Arch is jointly maintained by the United States and Canada. The concrete structure was the inspiration of Sam Hill, railroad builder and industrialist. Construction (begun in 1920) completed September 6, 1921. The words which are printed on the U.S. side of the Peace Arch are "Children of a Common Mother" and "Brethren Dwelling Together in Unity" is on the Canadian side. In the middle of the arch are the words "May These Gates Never Be Closed" and on the opposite side in the middle is "1814 Open One Hundred Years."

The Arch commemorates the signing of the Treaty of Ghent in 1814 and the Rush-Bagot Agreement in 1817. Entered into by the king of England and President Monroe, these treaties provided for an unguarded United States and Canadian border from the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia. Both treaties resulted from the War of 1812 with Great Britain.