Community
And Special Veterans Day Event at Sunnydale Elementary Today at 11AM. See Details below.
The Des Moines Memorial Drive Preservation Association recently published a moving tribute to British nurse Edith Cavell, written by local historian Chris Plyman, marking the 110th anniversary of her execution during World War I. Though Cavell lived half a world away, her legacy is literally rooted here in South King County. Anyone who has driven along Des Moines Memorial Drive—through Burien, SeaTac, and Des Moines—has traveled a living monument in her honor.
Cavell served in Brussels, where she treated wounded soldiers from all sides of the war. For her, compassion mattered more than politics. When she began quietly helping Allied soldiers escape German-occupied Belgium, she was arrested, secretly tried, and executed by firing squad on October 12, 1915. Her death sparked international outrage and turned her into a global symbol of courage, mercy, and humanity.
Plyman writes:
“For most people alive today, Edith Cavell is unknown, or at best a paragraph in some half-forgotten book on WWI. But in 1915 … her name became a plea to the entire world to rise up against aggression. … Edith herself had asked for no monuments, but had hoped to establish a retirement home for nurses.”
In the years following the war, South King County residents chose to honor Cavell and other fallen nurses by creating one of the nation’s few Roads of Remembrance. Thousands of American Elms were planted along Des Moines Memorial Drive, intended to form a continuous cathedral-like canopy of living memorial trees. At the time, this was one of the only U.S. monuments dedicated not to generals or politicians, but to a woman—and to nurses.
Though many of those trees have vanished due to age, weather, and development, local volunteers and the Preservation Association continue restoring the memorial and preserving its history.
Plyman also recounts Cavell’s final act of resolve:
“When the war started in 1914, Edith was home visiting her mother … She would not be persuaded to stay in England. ‘At a time like this,’ she said, ‘I am more needed than ever.’ … She and another of the condemned were taken to the national shooting range at the edge of the city.”
Today, more than a century later, Cavell’s legacy remains an everyday part of life in our community. Her story is not only remembered—it is built into the very roadway we drive.
Read the full article by Chris Plyman here: https://livingroadofremembrance.com/110th-anniversary-of-edith-cavells-death/
Attend Veterans Day Event at Sunnydale Elementary
Date: Tuesday, November 11, 2025
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Location: Historic Sunnydale Elementary School
15623 Des Moines Memorial Dr S, Burien, WA 98148
A Veterans Day ceremony will be held to honor all who served and to recognize the ongoing preservation of Des Moines Memorial Drive. The program will include a national commemorative bell ringing at 11:00 a.m., patriotic musical performances, and the presentation of the colors by Burien American Legion Post #134.
Guests will also have the opportunity to view Vietnam War–era military vehicle displays and explore indoor exhibits highlighting the history of Des Moines Memorial Drive. Refreshments will be provided and parking is available on site. Please dress for the weather.
All are welcome to attend and pay tribute to our Veterans.
Members Discussion