When the United States entered World War II, commercially grown crops and transportation resources were shifted to support military operations. With this shift and the rationing of canned fruits and vegetables in early 1943, civilians were encouraged to begin growing fruits and vegetables themselves. At their height, an estimated 20 million Victory Gardens were in existence, supplying more than 40% of the fresh fruits and vegetables consumed in the United States. Victory Gardens appeared in backyards, on the lawn of the White House, and in neighborhood and community plots including the Fenway Victory Gardens. Founded in 1942 and located in Frederick Law Olmsted’s famed Emerald Necklace, the Fenway Victory Gardens is comprised of over 500 gardens spanning 7.5 acres. The gardens are tended by a community of more than 475 members from every neighborhood in Boston, reflecting the diversity of our city and its rich history and culture. The Fenway Victory Gardens is one of the two remaining continuously operating World War II Victory Gardens in the United States and the only garden to have continued its operation in the same location as it was during the War.