Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the George Washington Memorial Parkway
By Sharon Cavileer
 Tooling along the parkway in an early photo. Note there is not traffic congestion. Photo courtesy National Park Service |
When the first section was completed in January 1932, it was considered "America's Most Modern Highway." It was the first road constructed by the Federal government and marked the first use of the innovative cloverleaf design. This first section, called the Mount Vernon Memorial Parkway, was praised as the ultimate blend of modern engineering, landscape architecture, historic preservation and patriotic sentiment.
It was the patriotic sentiment that launched the road-building in the first place. In the 19th century, all Americans were encouraged to make the pilgrimage to Mount Vernon and pay homage to our first president and founding father, George Washington. A trip to Mount Vernon was believed to build character. Senator Leland Stanford declared it "a sacred duty of all Americans to visit Mount Vernon, as they leave that sacred spot purer and more patriotic American citizens."
Steamboats carried these pilgrims to the estate until the completion of the Washington, Alexandria and Mount Vernon Electric Railway in 1896. Northern Virginia's roadways were notoriously bad even in those days. A carriage ride from DC could take up to six hours! A group of enterprising Alexandria businessmen, wanting to capture some of the tourist trade, proposed a grand venture-an American Appian Way lined with statues and memorials from each state of the Union.
It took another 50 years to complete the northern section and create the companion trail for walkers and bicyclists along the route. President Dwight D. Eisenhower dedicated the portion of the roadway between Spout Run and Langley in 1959. In 1989, Maryland's section of the parkway was renamed for Clara Barton, whose home is preserved at Glen Echo.
The final result is an impressive American road preserving innumerable historic sites, panoramic vistas, two wildlife refuges and an array of memorials. Over the 40-mile stretch of highway, it preserves 7,000 acres of parkland. The Potomac Palisades guarding the Great Falls were actually preserved by the roadway, keeping them from the ravages of quarrying operations and hydroelectric facilities.
Engineers used new ideas, including limited access construction, widely spaced exits and entrances and careful integration of the roadway with natural terrain to make driving safer. They also created the visual panorama that we enjoy today.
The parkway in George's memory is visually aligned with four important sites-his home at Mount Vernon, his Washington monument, the capital city that bears his name and the falls where his canal improved commerce and linked a nation. Impressive views of all four sites were preserved on "his" parkway. The road follows the gentle curves of the Potomac River. Landscape designers planted more than a quarter of a million trees (eastern red cedars and dogwoods), alternating grassy meadows with hardwood forests. Bridges were constructed with native stone to complement the landscape. Guard rails, bus shelters and streetlamps featured rustic designs. Later additions like the Spout Run Bridge utilized modern design while blending beautifully with the original highway concept.
In celebration of the 75th anniversary, the National Park Service will hold a series of events including a photo contest, a wedding at Arlington House on June 30, a celebration of Theodore Roosevelt's birthday and a recreation of the 1932 dedication ceremony.
For Northern Virginia residents, an afternoon spent along the George Washington Memorial Parkway, with stops along the way, is an education and celebration in itself. One can watch the aircraft land at Reagan National Airport at Gravelly Point, pay homage to Robert E. Lee at Arlington House, do some bird-watching at Theodore Roosevelt Island, lunch in Alexandria or salute the flag-raising at Iwo Jima at the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial.
For more information, go to www.nps.gov.gwmp.
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