Cleveland High School Memorial Forest
Cleveland High School is the only high school in the universe that has a memorial forest dedicated to alumni who died while serving in the armed forces during World War II.
How it began
At the height of World War II, the students of Cleveland High School (CHS) in Seattle, Washington sought a way to memorialize classmates who had died in service to our country. To that end, they collected over $300, including gifts from the graduation classes of 1943 and 1944, to purchase land for a memorial forest.
At a county tax auction in July 1944, Vice Principal Ray Imus bid on a quarter section of logged-off land east of Issaquah on the Issaquah – Fall City Road. When other bidders learned that the students hoped to create a memorial forest to commemorate their fallen classmates, no one bid against Imus and the clear-cut land was acquired for $300. The deed was issued to Principal Kenneth Selby. When Selby retired in December of 1944 it was determined that the high school couldn’t own property so ownership of the memorial forest was transferred to the Seattle School District as:
“A Perpetual Memorial to the Cleveland students who lost their lives in the war.”
The memorial forest consists of 131 acres of second grown timber, including Sitka Spruce, Douglas Fir, and Western Red Cedar – the result of CHS students planting over 10,000 trees.
Inviting trails cut through the lush vegetation and a salmon spawning stream finds protection there. This beautiful memorial to fallen classmates serves as a striking contrast to the horrific war that inspired its origin.
New! We’ve added a page to list all of the Honored Dead, from World War II, Korea and Vietnam
Photo Gallery
A Timline of posts about the forest
The History of the CHS Memorial Forest
by John R Barton ’54 Cleveland High School of Seattle is the only high school in the universe with a
2023 Memorial Ceremony at the Forest
by John R. Barton ’54 Did you know that Cleveland High School of Seattle is the only school in the
Annual Memorial Ceremony Friday, May 26, 2023
Cleveland High School is the only high school in the universe with a Memorial Forest honoring our World War II
Recap of our 2022 Memorial Ceremony at the Forest
It was supposed to rain, but fortunate for us, the clouds lifted, the sun shone through, and it was a beautiful day at the CHS Memorial Forest. Here is a recap of the day.
CHS Memorial Forest Ceremony Set for May 27, 2022
Cleveland High School is the only high school in the universe that has a Memorial Forest honoring our World War
Pat Rosenkranz honored by CHSAA
The CHSAA honored Pat Rosenkranz ‘49 by having eight copies of her book, “Honored Dead”, bound in hardcover and distributed to close family members and friends.
Development Rights Proposal Passed Unanimously
Our proposal to sell the development rights of the CHS Memorial Forest went before the full school board today and passed unanimously.
CHS Memorial Forest Update: Meeting with SPS
The Operations Committee of the Seattle School Board met via video conference on February 4th to address the proposal to
Saving the CHS Memorial Forest
If we’re to save the Cleveland Memorial Forest, we need your help. Right Now. Here’s the story. And one simple
Memorial Day Weekend 2020
CHS Alumni board members, John R Barton, Alison Sing, and Bernie Moskowitz offer thoughts and music for this year’s Memorial Day, since we are not able to hold the annual ceremony in the CHS Memorial Forest.
Update on saving the Memorial Forest
As reported by John Barton ‘54 REQUESTING LETTERS OF SUPPORT We have been busy through February, March, and April requesting
Protecting the CHS Memorial Forest
We started a letter drive in mid-February to solicit letters of support from alumni, individuals and patriotic organizations to back
Help protect the longevity of the CHS Memorial Forest
Please demonstrate your support of the plan to protect the longevity of the CHS Memorial Forest by having SPS sell
Protecting the CHS Memorial Forest
There has been slow progress in getting Seattle Public Schools (SPS) to sell the development rights of the CHS Memorial
Memorial Forest Ceremony 2019
The CHS Alumni Association (CHSAA) staged its annual ceremony at the Memorial Forest, as usual on the Friday before Memorial
A feeling of pride
‘A feeling of pride’ – Cleveland High School war memorial — a forest in Issaquah — is rededicated By Susan
A high school’s forest of memories
To keep dry from a heavy downpour, students and alumni from Cleveland High School huddled shoulder-to-shoulder under umbrellas and awnings
Memorial gets a new marker: Flagpole hoisted in memory of Cleveland High alumnus, vet
New housing developments creep closer and closer to the Cleveland Memorial Forest on the east side of the Sammamish Plateau
Keeping the faith with Cleveland High
It was fitting and appropriate that the Washington state Supreme Court recently declined to review lower-court decisions rejecting an attempt
Fire Destroys Forest Lyceum Near Fall City
It may have burned for several days, but the fire that destroyed a lyceum on the Issaquah-Fall City Road wasn’t
New Course For Seattle Schools — At Ceremony, Stanford Promises Progress
It was a poetic occasion: The old and new superintendents of Seattle Public Schools stopping by the woods on a
Tragedy Gives Kids’ Camp Plan New Push — Forest Site Would Serve As Center For At-Risk City Youths
Sometimes tragedy accomplishes what no amount of politicking could. The drive-by slaying of a Ballard High School student in March
5 Years Later, Still A World Of Threat
When the 1944 yearbook staff at Cleveland High School wrote about “the shattered conditions of the world,” they meant World
Kenneth Selby, School Official, Known For Breadth Of Interests
Kenneth E. Selby, former assistant superintendent of Seattle’s schools during the 1940s, was always into something, his family said. Mr.