THE PARKS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
The park system of the National Capital is under the jurisdiction of
the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
Since 1871 in many ways, particularly municipal affairs, the National
Capital has been in the lead among American cities. Having begun with
a logical and well-thought-out plan for the original city, the new
Federal City was provided with an ample system of public reservations
and parks.
However, in the early days of the city there was so much unoccupied
land that it was hard to believe there would ever be any necessity
for parks and open spaces developed and maintained at public expense.
For three-quarters of a century Washington was so spread out within
the borders of the original plan that the street rights-of-way and
public grounds reserved by the L’Enfant plan seemed to be entirely
out of scale with the needs of the city and were looked upon by some
as a burden rather than as a benefit. It was not until the increase
in population, which has continued steadily since the Civil War, and
the congestion of the streets in recent years with automobiles and a
great volume of traffic, that the building lots have been occupied with
structures and the full width of the streets needed for traffic, so
that the public reservations have become the only refuge for the play
of children and the recreation of older people.
It is, therefore, easy to understand the lack of appreciation of the
city park system during the first half of the nineteenth century. A
few far-sighted individuals only realized the necessity for preserving
these reservations until they would be needed as breathing spaces in a
thickly settled city, and they had to wage a persistent and hard-fought
campaign through the years against those who constantly wanted to sell
off the public reservations for building development of some kind or
other, or to have the Government itself use them for buildings. In the
two or three cases in which the latter was done we now have reason
to regret it; in a few cases in which the reservations were sold
the Government is now having to buy them back at considerable cost.
It was not a matter of little importance which led President Thomas
Jefferson to exclaim: “How I wish that I possessed the power of a
despot.” The company at the table stared at a declaration so opposed
to his disposition and principles. “Yes,” continued he, in reply to
their inquiring looks, “I wish I was a despot, that I might save the
noble, the beautiful trees that are daily falling sacrifices to the
cupidity of their owners, or the necessity of the poor.” “And have
you not authority to save those on the public grounds?” asked one of
the company. “No,” answered Mr. Jefferson, “only an armed guard could
save them. The unnecessary felling of a tree, perhaps the growth of
centuries, seems to me a crime little short of murder; it pains me to
an unspeakable degree.”
[Illustration: NEW HAMPSHIRE AVENUE, NORTHWEST]
The same desire to cut down trees in order to make room for more
concrete and masonry persists to this day and can only be controlled
by constant vigilance. The importance of open spaces and city parks,
developed into beauty spots by the art of the landscape architect,
should be evident to all.
As a matter of fact, perhaps the most unusual and original feature
of the L’Enfant plan was the idea of building the city about two
coordinate axes of parks--one a park system nearly a third of a mile
wide, leading from the Capitol westward to the Potomac River, and
the other the same width, leading from the White House south to the
river, with the Washington Monument at their intersection. This was an
innovation and a departure from the usual development of a city about
a commercial street--a main street or a market street. Provision was
made in the plan for such a great commercial street on the diagonal
of the triangle, the avenue joining the Capitol with the White House,
and named Pennsylvania Avenue, for the State in which the Federal
Government had up to then spent the greater part of its life.
Much of the Mall leading westward from the Capitol was unfortunately
taken up by the estuary of Tiber Creek, which overflowed at high tide.
It was the intention of Major L’Enfant and his urgent recommendation
that this creek be confined to a canal which he proposed to construct
along the northern part of the proposed park. This canal would not
only afford water transportation for heavy and bulky materials to and
from the business part of the city but at the same time would be a
water feature of the proposed park. Unfortunately, while the canal was
built, Tiber Creek was not entirely confined to it, and its estuary
was allowed to continue to overflow the Mall area and thus delay its
development.
When the Washington Monument was located, instead of being placed
at the exact intersection of the two park axes, it was placed on a
natural hill near by which was safely above tide level. The idea of an
avenue from the Capitol to the Washington Monument seems to have been
abandoned for many years, and when the Smithsonian Institution was
built in the Mall the plan made by A. J. Downing was adopted for the
entire Mall, superseding that of L’Enfant. These were the days when the
so-called naturalistic park development was in vogue, and everything
had to be consciously picturesque. No road or path could be straight,
and no regularity in planting or plan was tolerated. The L’Enfant plan
was again disregarded in laying out the Department of Agriculture
grounds in 1867. With the avenue of the Mall out of the picture, there
was no reason apparent to those in authority for refusing permission
to the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. to run its tracks across the Mall and
build its passenger station in the Mall itself, at Sixth Street.
It was this station, however, which brought about the restudy of the
plan of Washington and the return to the Mall development in accordance
with L’Enfant’s principles, for Col. Theodore A. Bingham, then in
charge of Public Buildings and Grounds, on hearing that legislation was
about to be passed authorizing the railroad to build a viaduct across
the Mall to this station, and realizing that this expensive structure
would probably make the carrying out of L’Enfant’s plan impossible,
got the plan out of the files and started a campaign to prevent the
legislation from passing and to rehabilitate the authority of the
L’Enfant plan. He was fortunate in finding those among his superiors
who appreciated the situation, and in securing the very wise and
effective help of Senator McMillan and of the American Institute of
Architects.
Indeed, the interest in the National Capital, excited in this way
and more or less focused upon it by the centenary of its occupation
as the seat of the Federal Government, resulted in the McMillan Park
Commission of 1901 and its very valuable recommendations for the
development and beautification of the National Capital. In recent years
the development of the Mall in accordance with the plan of 1901 has
been authorized by Congress and is being carried on step by step as it
becomes possible in connection with the public-buildings program.
The smaller reservations and parks suffered neglect equally, as
was to be expected. In making his plan L’Enfant had located public
reservations at various important street and avenue intersections.
Where more than two streets crossed at one point, a circle or square to
take up and distribute the traffic among the various streets was almost
necessary, or at least would be necessary to-day, and it is fortunate
that what L’Enfant did for appearance should now be proving to have
real utilitarian value. His own ideas about the purpose and function of
these squares are expressed in his report, as follows:
The center of each Square will admit of Statues, Columns, Obelisks,
or any other ornament such as the different States may choose to
erect: to perpetuate not only the memory of such individuals whose
counsels or Military achievements were conspicuous in giving liberty
and independence to this Country; but also those whose usefulness
hath rendered them worthy of general imitation, to invite the youth
of succeeding generations to tread in the paths of those sages, or
heroes whom their country has thought proper to celebrate.
The situation of these Squares is such that they are the most
advantageously and reciprocally seen from each other and as equally
distributed over the whole City district, and connected by spacious
avenues round the grand Federal Improvements and as contiguous to
them, and at the same time as equally distant from each other, as
circumstances would admit. The Settlements round those Squares must
soon become connected.
This mode of taking possession of and improving the whole district at
first must leave to posterity a grand idea of the patriotic interest
which prompted it.
While Lafayette Park, in front of and north of the White House, was
graded as early as 1826, it was not planted and really developed as
a park for some time after that. In 1853 the Clark Mills statue of
Jackson was placed in it as its central feature.
Similarly, the equestrian statue of Washington brought about the
improvement of Washington Circle at the westerly end of Pennsylvania
Avenue. Garfield Park, now one of the most beautiful parks in the
city, was graded and to some extent improved in 1838, in connection
with its use as a nursery for trees to ornament the public grounds and
Pennsylvania Avenue.
A botanic garden, which had been talked about from the very first,
and was finally brought to a head by the necessity for providing for
the botanic collection of the Smithsonian Institution, was gradually
established at the east end of the Mall between First and Third
Streets. It did not become a really important feature of public benefit
to the city until 1852, when it was placed in the hands of William
R. Smith, who had had experience in Kew Gardens in England and made
sufficient progress for the Botanic Garden to be described in 1859 “as
a pleasant place to visit, with gravel walks, bordered with box, rare
plants, and trees.”
How little these parks were needed then to give the requisite touch of
nature in urban surroundings and to what extent the National Capital
still retained its character of a few scattered settlements in the
midst of farm land is shown by the fact that the one or two which had
been improved had to be fenced in to protect their young trees and
shrubs against the cattle, goats, and sheep that roamed the streets.
As late as 1870 the danger to pedestrians from the domestic animals
allowed at large was the subject of protest in formal speeches in
Congress. During the Civil War many of the public reservations were
used for camps, hospitals, and drill grounds, which use naturally did
not help their appearance.
While the parks and reservations not used by the Federal Government
remained relatively unimproved and in the condition of unsightly
village commons, the grounds around the public buildings of the
Federal Government were given a little more attention and were
gradually improved. The north grounds of the White House were fixed
up in Jefferson’s administration and rearranged from time to time
subsequently, but so little importance was attached to appearances that
the south grounds of the White House remained unimproved through the
first half of the century. It was not until after the Civil War that
real importance was attached to the beautification of the grounds and
the systematic planting of trees in the streets. The public buildings
and grounds were turned over to the Chief of Engineers in 1867, and
since that time have received a great deal more attention than ever
before. In 1898 the municipal parks were transferred from the city
government to the Chief of Engineers and have been systematically
improved since.
With the street trees and the improved city parks scattered about the
central part of the city, Washington has acquired a characteristic
appearance of its own and offers the charm and amenities which other
American cities were not wise enough to provide for themselves.
As the city grew outside of the original plan, a few projects for large
and extensive parks were adopted. The beautiful Rock Creek Valley
was purchased for a park and for the Zoological Garden under the act
approved September 27, 1890; and provision was made by the act approved
August 2, 1882, for the filling in of the Potomac tidal flats. This
latter project has developed nearly 1,000 acres of reclaimed park land
extensively used for recreation of all kinds. It also extended the axis
of the Mall about three-fourths of a mile beyond what was originally
planned, thus affording a suitable terminal in the site for the Lincoln
Memorial.
In 1893 the evils of new, rapidly growing subdivisions outside the
limits of the L’Enfant plan--laid out without any regard to the
latter--were sufficiently recognized to bring about the passage
of legislation for making a highway or street plan of the entire
District of Columbia. This law was further amended in 1898 and
resulted in a street layout followed ever since, with modifications
from time to time. But this, being a street plan, made no provision
for the extension of the system of city parks into the new territory,
nor for merging the newly authorized major park projects with the
street system. Hence one of the major duties with which the McMillan
Commission was charged in 1901 was the design of appropriate parks
outside of the L’Enfant plan.
The high talents and national reputation of the members of this
commission insured that their recommendations for the beautification
and development of the Capital would really be a new, grand, basic
plan. After mature study, in the light of the finest examples the world
had produced, this commission reinstated the authority of the L’Enfant
plan and carried it to its logical conclusions in new territory. This
action reflected credit not only on the genius of L’Enfant but also on
the commission itself, which had the wisdom to recognize the supreme
merit of the original plan and the good sense, and modesty, to build
upon it.
However, the 1901 commission’s plan never received general legislative
sanction, and approval of some of its individual major projects was
obtained only after great effort and much urging by the executive
authorities and some far-sighted Members of the Congress. First, the
railroads arranged for a Union Station (1903), and the Pennsylvania
Railroad Co. removed its tracks and station from the Mall, so that
to-day the traveler by rail enters the city through a great monumental
portal and finds himself in sight of the Capitol. In 1913 the Rock
Creek and Potomac Parkway was authorized, to connect the Rock Creek
Valley with the Potomac Park system. In 1911 the Lincoln Memorial and
the development of the Mall between it and the Washington Monument
were provided for. A law approved in 1901 provided for construction
of the General Grant Memorial at the east end of the Mall at the base
of Capitol Hill, while a memorial to Gen. George G. Meade, located in
relation to the Grant Memorial, was subsequently (1926) accepted from
the State of Pennsylvania. In 1924 the Arlington Memorial Bridge was
approved.
[Illustration: PARK AREAS ACQUIRED TO JULY 1, 1938]
In 1910 the National Commission of Fine Arts was set up to--
advise upon the location of statues, fountains, and monuments in the
public squares, streets, and parks in the District of Columbia, and
upon the selection of models for statues, fountains, and monuments
erected under the authority of the United States and upon the
selection of the artists for the execution of the same.
This commission, which has numbered in its membership the greatest
architects and artists of the country, has helped greatly not only in
raising the standard of the public works of art but also in securing
the adoption of important parts of the 1901 plan.
With the general paving of streets, the filling of vacant lots with
houses, and the increasing automobile traffic, it became necessary
to provide safe play places for children and necessary recreation
facilities for adults. In response to this demand, a system of
playgrounds was adopted and a playgrounds department set up in 1911.
While all these projects were good and necessary, they failed to keep
pace with the needs of the rapidly growing city. Intrusted to different
executive authorities, these efforts could not be properly coordinated,
and occasionally were designed without the fullest consideration of
other projects affected by them. The proposed system of playgrounds was
not extended as intended, and even if it had been would have proved
inadequate. Lands recommended for park use in 1901 were built on with
expensive improvements and put to private or commercial uses.
The progress made in the quarter century 1901 to 1926 was so
unsatisfactory that a Park and Planning Commission was established
(1924, amended 1926)--
to develop a comprehensive, consistent, and coordinated plan for
the National Capital and its environs in the States of Maryland and
Virginia, to preserve the flow of water in Rock Creek, to prevent
pollution of Rock Creek and the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers, to
preserve forests and natural scenery in and about Washington, and to
provide for the comprehensive, systematic, and continuous development
of park, parkway, and playground systems of the National Capital and
its environs * * *.
Besides its city-planning work, this commission recommended a complete
system of city parks, playgrounds, and recreation centers, as well as a
system of regional parks.
The main new city park feature is a circumferential parkway joining
the old Civil War forts built to defend the city against attack,
but now too near urban development to be of any military efficacy.
But the sites of the forts themselves, besides the interest of the
remains of the military works, are excellently suited for local
parks, and because of their commanding positions afford many unique
and magnificent views, while the drive joining them, besides giving
opportunity for an unusually picturesque pleasure drive, will provide
very much-needed cross connections of great traffic value between the
radial streets entering the city.
There is to be a series of neighborhood recreation centers from 10 to
20 acres in size for each residential community, with playgrounds for
small children interspersed at intervals of about half a mile. The
recreation system is to comprise fields for major sports and swimming
pools and constitutes a reasonable effort to meet the policy that
“every child shall have a place to play.”
The regional park system contemplates the acquisition of the shores
of the Potomac from Mount Vernon to and including Great Falls as
a memorial park in memory of George Washington. This will include
an area of unique historical and scenic value of such picturesque
attractiveness as can not be found in such close proximity to any other
great city, and a possible natural playground within reach of millions
of the city dwellers of the Atlantic seaboard.
The new memorial highway to Mount Vernon is an important element of
this project, which was completed in 1932. In the north end of the
project, near Great Falls, are the remains of the Old Potomack Canal,
of which George Washington himself supervised the construction, while
on the Maryland shore is the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, formally
initiated by President John Quincy Adams in 1828, and a most perfect
example of the type of canal which brought about the development of our
country in the first half of the nineteenth century. Its quiet waters
and overgrown towpath and banks have unusual charm and afford a most
charming and interesting contrast with the torrential river below in
its rugged canyon.
As a natural terminal on the Maryland bank of the river, nearly
opposite Mount Vernon, is picturesque old Fort Washington designed by
Major L’Enfant after the War of 1812, and one of the best-preserved
forts of this type in the South Atlantic States. From its parapet
one can enjoy one of the best views of the Capital City L’Enfant so
gloriously and successfully planned.
The regional park system also proposes the extension of Rock Creek
Park into Maryland and various other similar connections with projects
in the District of Columbia. Perhaps the most important is the
opportunity for a parkway, like the Bronx Parkway, between Washington
and Baltimore, following up the Anacostia Valley, Northwest Branch, and
Indian Creek.
The recommendations of the National Capital Park and Planning
Commission as to parks were given legislative sanction by the act
approved May 29, 1930, and are being carried out as fast as funds
are made available. The opportunities here for a nearly ideal park
and playground system are so unusual that the entire country must
be interested in seeing their early completion. Other cities can
have monumental buildings, but no other large city can still have at
reasonable cost the park and recreational facilities essential to the
amenities of life and the raising of a new generation under conditions
assuring, for poor and rich alike, a sound mind in a sound body.
[Illustration: LAFAYETTE PARK, SHOWING STATUE OF GEN. ANDREW JACKSON]
LAFAYETTE PARK
The L’Enfant plan shows the ground now known as Lafayette Park, or
Lafayette Square, comprising about 7 acres, to have been a part of the
President’s Park, extending on the north side from H Street southward
to the Monument Grounds, between Fifteenth and Seventeenth Streets.
Similarly, the subsequent Ellicott plan and the Dermott plan make
provision for such a spacious park to surround the President’s House.
These plans show no street dividing Lafayette Park from the White House
Grounds.
When L’Enfant prepared his plan this was a neglected area, a common
without trees. A race course was laid out, in 1797, on the west side of
the grounds, extending westward to Twentieth Street. Huts for workmen
who helped build the President’s House were erected on the grounds, and
when these were removed a market was established there. This was later
relocated farther to the center of the town, on Pennsylvania Avenue,
between Seventh and Ninth Streets. Thomas Jefferson first undertook
really to improve the grounds and marked the east and west limits as
they are to-day, called Madison Place and Jackson Place, respectively.
Until 1816 the only important building that had been erected adjacent
to Lafayette Park was St. John’s Church. Then, in 1818, the Dolly
Madison House was built, and in 1819 the Decatur House. From then on
and for more than 50 years following Lafayette Park became the center
of social life in Washington. Nearly every house surrounding it became
noted for its historical associations. However, the park seems to have
been neglected the greater part of this period. In 1840 there was an
ordinary fence around it.
Just when this park area took the name of Lafayette Park is not
definitely known. As has been said, originally this area was a part
of the President’s Park, and D. B. Warden, in his volume entitled
“Description of the District of Columbia,” published in 1816, refers
to it as such by saying, in connection with rates of fare for hackney
carriages--
From the President’s Square to Greenleaf’s Point, and also to Hamburg
Wharf, or to the western limits of the city, the rate is but 25
cents, and half the distance one-half that sum.
In his voluminous history of Lafayette Square, Gist Blair states--
Its name has come from the people and arose after this visit of
Lafayette to the city in 1824.
[Illustration: THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL]
Again, speaking of the many social events held in Washington during
this visit of Lafayette, Mr. Blair says:
Socially, the season of 1824-25 was the most brilliant Washington had
seen, so it is natural to understand how everyone at this time may
have started to call this square Lafayette Square.
In the office of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior,
there is a map dated 1852, on which Lafayette Park is shown to be
separated from the White House Grounds. The first printed report of the
Commissioner of Public Buildings, on file in that office, is of the
year 1857. In that report there is a reference to Lafayette Square with
an account of certain work being done there in that year.
During more than a quarter of a century past the grounds have been
properly maintained as a park. To-day there are five notable monuments
in Lafayette Park; namely, the Jackson, Lafayette, Rochambeau, Von
Steuben, and the Kosciuszko.
POTOMAC PARKS
It is of interest to note from the L’Enfant plan of 1791 the absence
of land in the area known to-day as West and East Potomac Parks.
Seventy-five years ago the area had developed into a marshy region,
which became so malarial as to affect seriously the health of residents
of the city. In 1901 the McMillan Park Commission decided to extend
the axis of the Mall westward three-fourths of a mile, and as a result
one of the greatest and most remarkable developments in city planning
has been accomplished, for at that time, in connection with the park
improvement project, the location of the Lincoln Memorial and the
Arlington Memorial Bridge was determined upon in plan, together with
the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway development. The dredging of these
swampy regions by the United States Engineer Office resulted in the
creation of West Potomac Park, comprising 394 acres.
East Potomac Park is located along the Potomac River not far from the
Lincoln Memorial and has developed during the past few years into the
most prominent recreational park of the city. The golf course, field
house, and picnic groves are features of the park. It is one of the
three great island parks of the world and comprises 327 acres of land
reclaimed from the Potomac River, with a water front of 3⁵⁄₈ miles. The
park is bounded by a motor drive, which is lined with Japanese cherry
trees. A canal to cross the park, connecting Washington Channel with
the Potomac River, is in plan.
JAPANESE CHERRY TREES
The Japanese cherry trees along the Tidal Basin and the Potomac Park
Driveway attract thousands of visitors to Washington during the cherry
blossom season, which is early in April of each year. They are the gift
of the city of Tokyo to the National Capital. Upon arrival the first
consignment of 2,000 trees was found to be infected by fungous diseases
and insect pests, and thereupon they were destroyed. In the winter
of 1911-12 the city of Tokyo renewed the gift, and in March, 1912, a
consignment of 3,020 trees arrived in Washington. These were examined
by experts of the Department of Agriculture and pronounced healthy
specimens.
[Illustration: MERIDIAN HILL PARK--UPPER GARDEN]
[Illustration: MERIDIAN HILL PARK--LOWER GARDEN]
Arrangements were made immediately for planting them. Mrs. William
Howard Taft planted the first tree and Viscountess Chinda the second
early in April. When the news was received in Japan that the trees had
been successfully planted, the following message from Mayor Ozaki, of
Tokyo, was received:
It will remain to the citizens of Tokyo a pleasing memory as well as
civic pride that their small offering will be permitted to contribute
to the advancement of the beautiful Capital of the great Republic
which they all admire.
The cherry trees of Washington are almost entirely of the flowering
species, of the single and double blossom varieties; the former,
planted at the edge of the Tidal Basin, appear first. There they are
near, also, to the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial,
and with their tinted blossoms present a charming vista. The
double-flowering variety in East Potomac Park appears about two weeks
later.
MERIDIAN HILL PARK
Meridian Hill Park is located between Fifteenth and Sixteenth and W
and Euclid Streets NW. It comprises about 12 acres. The design for
improving the park has been completed and approved and a large-scale
model of the southern portion prepared for special study in carrying
out the details.
In design Meridian Hill Park is similar to an Italian garden,
containing an upper and a lower garden, and as a formal garden of its
kind there is no other like it in the United States. The upper garden
extends from Euclid Street about 900 feet south on a practically level
stretch of mall to the grand terrace, which forms the cross axis of
the park. Concert groves and promenades, with niches for statues and
monuments in the hemlock hedge, are features of the upper garden. This
part of the park has been for the most part completed.
From the terrace a commanding view of the city is obtained. Immediately
to the south is a cascade, descending to a pool in the lower garden.
East of the pool there is a statue of President Buchanan, erected by
authority of Congress as the gift of Harriet Lane Johnston to the
United States. In the lower garden there is also a great exedra,
forming the main point from which to view the cascades. Along the sides
of the lower garden are walks amidst planting, leading to the upper
garden. The main entrance to Meridian Hill Park is on Sixteenth Street.
A tablet here suggests the name given to the park. It bears this
inscription:
THE STONE MARKING THE WASHINGTON MERIDIAN WAS FORMERLY LOCATED
52 FEET 9 INCHES WEST OF THIS TABLET, WHICH WAS PRESENTED BY THE
ARMY AND NAVY CHAPTER OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION,
1804-1923.
[Illustration: MAP OF ROCK CREEK PARK]
On the grand terrace is a copy of the famous Dubois statue of Jeanne
d’Arc, given by the Société des Femmes de France à New York to the
National Capital. There is also a statue of Dante in the lower garden,
the gift of Chevalier Carlo Barsotti, editor of a leading Italian
newspaper of New York City. An armillary sphere is in the great exedra
of the lower garden.
While a million dollars could not buy the land occupied by Meridian
Hill Park, it is of interest to know that for the 110 acres, which
extended from what is now Florida Avenue to Columbia Road and east of
Sixteenth Street, Commodore Porter paid $13,000 in 1816.
ROCK CREEK PARK
One of the largest and most beautiful natural parks in the world
is Rock Creek Park, extending from the William Howard Taft Bridge
northward to the boundary line of the District of Columbia, and
comprising 1,632 acres. Congress authorized the creation of the park
in 1890, with an appropriation of $10,000. Adjacent to the park is the
National Zoological Park.
[Illustration: JOAQUIN MILLER CABIN IN ROCK CREEK PARK]
[Illustration: PLAN OF ANACOSTIA PARK]
ANACOSTIA PARK
The plan for the development of this project provides for the
reclamation of what are known as the Anacostia Flats, along the
Anacostia River, on the east side of the District of Columbia, into
Anacostia Park, of 1,100 acres. The distance from the point near the
War College to the District line is about 6 miles. The park will be one
of the largest and most beautiful waterside parks in this country. The
breaking of ground for the park took place August 2, 1923.
As has been related, more than three centuries ago, or in the summer
of 1608, Capt. John Smith, in an exploration of the tributaries of
the Chesapeake Bay, landed on these very banks. He found a tribe of
peaceful Indians, the Nacotchtant (Anacostans), numbering some 80 men,
kind and well disposed, who did their best to content Captain Smith and
his fellow explorers. These Indians no doubt made their home in this
neighborhood on account of the abundance of game.
One of the largest water-lily gardens, the Shaw Lily Gardens, is
situated opposite Mount Hamilton, on the east side of the Anacostia
River. It is thought these ultimately will become part of the Anacostia
Park. The Anacostia is also a popular place for fishing, and it is
expected fish ponds will be established there later.
A large stadium and playground at the end of East Capitol Street,
adjoining Anacostia Park, is proposed. The National Arboretum will be
adjacent to it from Mount Hamilton eastward.
NATIONAL ARBORETUM
The movement to establish a National Arboretum was first definitely
proposed by Hon. James Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture, in his report
for the fiscal year 1899--
One in which can be brought together for study all the trees that
will grow in Washington, D. C., * * * furnishing complete material
for the investigations of the Department of Agriculture, and so
managed as to be a perennial means of botanical education.
In 1918 the Commission of Fine Arts, at the request of the House
Committee on the Library, made a study of the problem of the location
of a proposed botanical garden and arboretum. After an elaborate
study, conducted with the help of the Department of Agriculture, the
commission recommended the purchase of Mount Hamilton and adjacent
land, and Hickey Hill, together with the lands between those heights
and the Anacostia marshes, in northeast Washington. The report of the
commission encountered opposition, but its logic has prevailed.
[Illustration: MAP OF NATIONAL ARBORETUM PREPARED BY THE NATIONAL
COMMISSION OF FINE ARTS]
The act providing for the establishment of the National Arboretum,
approved March 4, 1927, is one of the few measures that survived the
filibuster in the Senate on the closing day of that session, because of
the untiring efforts of Senator Charles L. McNary, of Oregon, chairman
of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry. Hon. Robert
Luce, chairman of the Committee on the Library, handled the bill in
the House of Representatives. The sum of $300,000 was authorized by
the act for the National Arboretum, and this amount was subsequently
appropriated. The act provided also for the appointment by the
Secretary of Agriculture of an advisory council in relation to the plan
and development of the National Arboretum. To serve on this council the
Secretary of Agriculture appointed the following persons:
Frederic A. Delano, Washington, D. C., member of the Board of Regents,
Smithsonian Institution.
Henry S. Graves, New Haven, Conn., dean of the School of Forestry, Yale
University; fellow of the Society of American Foresters; and formerly
president of the American Forestry Association.
Harlan P. Kelsey, Salem, Mass., member and former president of the
American Association of Nurserymen.
John C. Merriam, Washington, D. C., president of the Carnegie
Institution of Washington; member of the National Academy of Sciences
and of the National Research Council.
Mrs. Frank B. Noyes, Washington, D. C., chairman of the District of
Columbia committee of the Garden Club of America.
Frederick Law Olmsted, Brookline, Mass., member and former president of
the American Society of Landscape Architects.
Mrs. Harold I. Pratt, Glen Cove, Long Island, N. Y., secretary of the
Garden Club of America.
Robert Pyle, West Grove, Pa., president of the American Horticultural
Society and a director of the Society of American Florists and
Ornamental Horticulturists.
Vernon Kellogg, permanent secretary of the National Research Council.
It is proposed to purchase about 500 acres, 400 of which, including
Mount Hamilton and adjacent portions of Anacostia Park, have already
been secured. Thirty-two distinct varieties of soils suited to the
growth of trees and plants have been found in this area.
Due to mild climatic conditions in Washington, at the gateway of the
South, where there is neither the extreme cold of the North nor the
extreme heat of the South, many varieties of trees and plants of
both North and South will grow, making it one of the most favorable
localities in the United States for the establishment of a National
Arboretum. Many countries which have established an arboretum in their
capital cities have provided not only an attractive place of public
interest but also the source of millions of dollars in revenue.
[Illustration: THE CAPITOL UPON ITS RESTORATION, 1827]