Peace Cross

The Peace Cross is a war memorial located in the three-way junction of Bladensburg Road, Baltimore Avenue and Annapolis Road in Bladensburg, Maryland. It is a large cross, 40 feet (12 m) in height, made of tan concrete with exposed pink granite aggregate. The arms of the cross are supported by unadorned concrete arches. It was designed by John J. Earley and placed in 1919-1925 in commemoration of the town's World War I war casualties. The memorial was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. The Snyder-Farmer post of The American Legion erected the 40-foot cross of cement and marble to recall the 49 men of Prince George’s County who died in World War I. The cross was dedicated on July 13, 1925, by the Legion. A bronze tablet at the base of the monument contains the unforgettable words of Woodrow Wilson: “The right is more precious than the peace; we shall fight for the things we have always carried nearest our hearts; to such a task we dedicate ourselves.” At the base of the monument are the words, “Valor, Endurance, Courage, Devotion.” At its heart, the cross bears a great gold star.