Arlington Memorial Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Arlington Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C.
crosses the Potomac River
, connecting the Lincoln Memorial
and Columbia Island
. The northeastern end of the bridge marks the western edge of the National Mall
. The southwestern end connects with Memorial Avenue, which crosses the Boundary Channel Bridge into Virginia
and travels to Arlington National Cemetery
in Arlington County
.
On April 4, 1980, the Arlington Memorial Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places
.
study the feasibility of a bridge at the site, and a 24 ft wide design was proposed later that year. The following year, the War Department suggested a "Lincoln-Grant Memorial Bridge". Congress again passed a resolution requesting another design, and in late 1887 the department proposed a "General Ulysses S. Grant Memorial Bridge". The new bridge would be a suspension bridge
105 feet (32 m) high, with 98 feet (29.9 m) of clearance below it. Designs for the bridge at this time included from a bare steel truss bridge
, a low masonry arch bridge, and a Romanesque Revival structure with two massive central towers, two barbicans on each end, and excessively ornamentation. A survey of the bedrock in the Potomac River was undertaken in 1898,which led Congress to fund a design competition in 1899. Four designs for "colossal" bridges with massive triumphal arches over the center were submitted.
Although Congress chose a design by William H. Burr (assisted by Edward Casey, a designer of the Taft Bridge
), no action was taken to construct the bridge. In 1901 a private group composed of nationally-known bridge designers proposed that the bridge extend New York Avenue NW (which then ended at 23rd Street NW) over the Potomac to Arlington National Cemetery, but once more Congress did not act.
In 1902, the Senate Park Commission proposed the McMillan Plan
, a visionary document which was to guide development in and around Washington, D.C., for the next century. The commission (also known as the "McMillan Commission") was formed by the United States Congress in 1900 to reconcile competing visions for the development of Washington, D.C., and especially the National Mall
and nearby areas. The McMillan Plan emphasized the restoration and maintenance of views between major existing memorials.
The McMillan Plan proposed siting a major new memorial at the western end of the National Mall, an area also known as West Potomac Park
. Terrible flooding had inundated much of downtown Washington, D.C., in 1881. At that time, almost none of the National Mall west of the Washington Monument
grounds and below Constitution Avenue
NW existed. The Potomac River was dredged down to bedrock, and the fill used to not only enlarge the mall but to build it up to more than 6 ft above low tide level. West Potomac Park, East Potomac Park
, the Tidal Basin
, and a new long island in the Potomac were also created. West Potomac Park was largely complete by 1909, but not graded and planted until 1912.
The McMillan Plan also proposed constructing several memorial parkways around the city to link the parks in the area,and a new Neoclassical bridge of low design to link West Potomac Park with the proposal memorial parkway on the Virginia side of the Potomac River. In the McMillan Plan, it was especially important that the views between the new memorial in West Potomac Park and other important buildings, places, and memorials in the city — including Arlington House — be preserved.
Although Congress did not formally adopt the McMillan Plan, it began to implement it piecemeal over the next several years. In 1910, Congress enacted legislation establishing the United States Commission of Fine Arts
, a body of federally-appointed architects, landscape architects, and others who began to formally push for construction of the bridge envisioned by the McMillan Plan. On March 4, 1913, Congress enacted the Public Buildings Act which, among other things, created and funded an Arlington Memorial Bridge Commission whose purpose was to settle on a design for the bridge and report back to Congress. Its members included the President of the United States, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the chairs of the committees on public grounds and buildings of the House and Senate (or their designees).
But Congress appropriated no money for the commission's operation due to the onset of World War I, and it remained inactive until 19222.
A major embarrassment in 1921 changed this situation. On November 11, 1921, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
was dedicated at Arlington National Cemetery. President Warren G. Harding
was caught in a three-hour traffic jam while on his way to the dedication because Highway Bridge
(on which he traveled) could not handle the traffic.
Harding resolved to never let it happen again, and sought an appropriation of $25,000 in 1922 to fund the work of the commission.
On June 14, 1921, Harding wrote to Congress that he had taken a personal interest in the work of the commission, and that with completion of the Lincoln Memorial
nearing it made engineering sense to begin work on the bridge now.
Initially, the commission proposed a site for the bridge at the New York Avenue site, upstream from its current position. The Commission of Fine Arts opposed the plan. With President Harding president, the Arlington Memorial Bridge Commission held a joint meeting with Vice President Calvin Coolidge
and the Commission of Fine Arts on December 18, 1922, at which time it was unanimously decided to adhere to the McMillan Plan and site the bridge on a line of sight between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House
in Arlington National Cemetery. The parties also agreed to seek to construct a low (rather than monumental) bridge with a bascule bridge
(drawbridge) in the center to permit ship traffic to reach the Georgetown waterfront.
Construction of the Arlington Memorial Bridge was authorized by Congress
on February 24, 1925, and it opened on January 16, 1932. The dedication ceremony was headed by President
Herbert Hoover
. Designed by architectural firm McKim, Mead, and White
, the neoclassical
bridge is 2163 feet (659.3 m) long.
When the bridge opened, trolley service from Mount Vernon to downtown Washington (via Highway Bridge) ceased.
The northeastern entrance to the Arlington Memorial Bridge features The Arts of War sculptures, Sacrifice and Valor, which were completed by Leo Friedlander
in 1951. On the pylon
s of each pier
of the bridge are large circular discs with eagle
s and fasces
designed by sculptor Carl Paul Jennewein
.
The closest Metro
station to the bridge is Arlington Cemetery
. The bridge connects, both literally and symbolically, the Lincoln Memorial
and Arlington House
, the former home of Civil War
General Robert E. Lee
. This placement was done intentionally to represent the reunification of the North
and the South
.
At the southwestern terminus on Columbia Island, the bridge and its connecting roadways connect with the George Washington Memorial Parkway
, State Route 27
and State Route 110
. At the northeastern terminus, the bridge and its connecting roadways connect with Constitution Avenue
, Independence Avenue, the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway
, and the District of Columbia segment of Interstate 66
.
A peculiarity of the traffic circle
at the southwestern terminus is that traffic already in the circle must yield to traffic entering the circle — the opposite of the standard rule. During morning rush hour
, a portion of the traffic circle is closed to prevent mergers that would otherwise tie up rush hour traffic.
The center portion of the bridge is a metal draw span
, intended to allow large vessels to pass upriver to Georgetown
. However, with the construction of the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge
immediately upstream, which has no such provision, the draw mechanism has been abandoned.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
crosses the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
, connecting the Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial is an American memorial built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The architect was Henry Bacon, the sculptor of the main statue was Daniel Chester French, and the painter of the interior...
and Columbia Island
Columbia Island (District of Columbia)
Columbia Island is located in the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., and is part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Boundary Channel separates the island from the Virginia shoreline to the southwest...
. The northeastern end of the bridge marks the western edge of the National Mall
National Mall
The National Mall is an open-area national park in downtown Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The National Mall is a unit of the National Park Service , and is administered by the National Mall and Memorial Parks unit...
. The southwestern end connects with Memorial Avenue, which crosses the Boundary Channel Bridge into Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and travels to Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
in Arlington County
Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The land that became Arlington was originally donated by Virginia to the United States government to form part of the new federal capital district. On February 27, 1801, the United States Congress organized the area as a subdivision of...
.
On April 4, 1980, the Arlington Memorial Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
History
Congress first proposed a bridge at the site of the current structure on May 24, 1886. The resolution required that the United States Department of WarUnited States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
study the feasibility of a bridge at the site, and a 24 ft wide design was proposed later that year. The following year, the War Department suggested a "Lincoln-Grant Memorial Bridge". Congress again passed a resolution requesting another design, and in late 1887 the department proposed a "General Ulysses S. Grant Memorial Bridge". The new bridge would be a suspension bridge
Suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
105 feet (32 m) high, with 98 feet (29.9 m) of clearance below it. Designs for the bridge at this time included from a bare steel truss bridge
Truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
, a low masonry arch bridge, and a Romanesque Revival structure with two massive central towers, two barbicans on each end, and excessively ornamentation. A survey of the bedrock in the Potomac River was undertaken in 1898,which led Congress to fund a design competition in 1899. Four designs for "colossal" bridges with massive triumphal arches over the center were submitted.
Although Congress chose a design by William H. Burr (assisted by Edward Casey, a designer of the Taft Bridge
Taft Bridge
The Taft Bridge, also known as the Connecticut Avenue Bridge or William Howard Taft Bridge, is a historic bridge located in the Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C. It carries Connecticut Avenue over the Rock Creek gorge, including Rock Creek and the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway, connecting the...
), no action was taken to construct the bridge. In 1901 a private group composed of nationally-known bridge designers proposed that the bridge extend New York Avenue NW (which then ended at 23rd Street NW) over the Potomac to Arlington National Cemetery, but once more Congress did not act.
In 1902, the Senate Park Commission proposed the McMillan Plan
McMillan Plan
The McMillan Plan was an architectural plan for the development of Washington, D.C., formulated in 1902 by the Senate Park Improvement Commission of the District of Columbia which had been formed by Congress the previous year.-United States Park Commission:...
, a visionary document which was to guide development in and around Washington, D.C., for the next century. The commission (also known as the "McMillan Commission") was formed by the United States Congress in 1900 to reconcile competing visions for the development of Washington, D.C., and especially the National Mall
National Mall
The National Mall is an open-area national park in downtown Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The National Mall is a unit of the National Park Service , and is administered by the National Mall and Memorial Parks unit...
and nearby areas. The McMillan Plan emphasized the restoration and maintenance of views between major existing memorials.
The McMillan Plan proposed siting a major new memorial at the western end of the National Mall, an area also known as West Potomac Park
West Potomac Park
West Potomac Park is a U.S. national park in Washington, D.C., adjacent to the National Mall. It includes the parkland that extends south of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, from the Lincoln Memorial to the grounds of the Washington Monument...
. Terrible flooding had inundated much of downtown Washington, D.C., in 1881. At that time, almost none of the National Mall west of the Washington Monument
Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is an obelisk near the west end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate the first U.S. president, General George Washington...
grounds and below Constitution Avenue
Constitution Avenue
In Washington, D.C., Constitution Avenue is a major east-west street running just north of the United States Capitol in the city's Northwest and Northeast quadrants...
NW existed. The Potomac River was dredged down to bedrock, and the fill used to not only enlarge the mall but to build it up to more than 6 ft above low tide level. West Potomac Park, East Potomac Park
East Potomac Park
East Potomac Park is a section of Potomac Park in Washington, D.C., located south of the Jefferson Memorial and the 14th Street Bridge. Located between the Washington Channel and the Potomac River, the park is home to the East Potomac Park Golf Course, a miniature golf course, a public swimming...
, the Tidal Basin
Tidal Basin
-External links:*-References:...
, and a new long island in the Potomac were also created. West Potomac Park was largely complete by 1909, but not graded and planted until 1912.
The McMillan Plan also proposed constructing several memorial parkways around the city to link the parks in the area,and a new Neoclassical bridge of low design to link West Potomac Park with the proposal memorial parkway on the Virginia side of the Potomac River. In the McMillan Plan, it was especially important that the views between the new memorial in West Potomac Park and other important buildings, places, and memorials in the city — including Arlington House — be preserved.
Although Congress did not formally adopt the McMillan Plan, it began to implement it piecemeal over the next several years. In 1910, Congress enacted legislation establishing the United States Commission of Fine Arts
United States Commission of Fine Arts
The United States Commission of Fine Arts , established in 1910 by an act of Congress, is an advisory agency of the Federal government.The CFA is mandated to review and provide advice on "matters of design and aesthetics", involving federal projects and planning in Washington, D.C...
, a body of federally-appointed architects, landscape architects, and others who began to formally push for construction of the bridge envisioned by the McMillan Plan. On March 4, 1913, Congress enacted the Public Buildings Act which, among other things, created and funded an Arlington Memorial Bridge Commission whose purpose was to settle on a design for the bridge and report back to Congress. Its members included the President of the United States, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the chairs of the committees on public grounds and buildings of the House and Senate (or their designees).
But Congress appropriated no money for the commission's operation due to the onset of World War I, and it remained inactive until 19222.
A major embarrassment in 1921 changed this situation. On November 11, 1921, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier refers to a grave in which the unidentifiable remains of a soldier are interred. Such tombs can be found in many nations and are usually high-profile national monuments. Throughout history, many soldiers have died in wars without their remains being identified...
was dedicated at Arlington National Cemetery. President Warren G. Harding
Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States . A Republican from Ohio, Harding was an influential self-made newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate , as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and as a U.S. Senator...
was caught in a three-hour traffic jam while on his way to the dedication because Highway Bridge
Highway bridge
Highway bridge can refer to:*Highway Bridge *Any bridge traversed by a highway...
(on which he traveled) could not handle the traffic.
Harding resolved to never let it happen again, and sought an appropriation of $25,000 in 1922 to fund the work of the commission.
On June 14, 1921, Harding wrote to Congress that he had taken a personal interest in the work of the commission, and that with completion of the Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial is an American memorial built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The architect was Henry Bacon, the sculptor of the main statue was Daniel Chester French, and the painter of the interior...
nearing it made engineering sense to begin work on the bridge now.
Initially, the commission proposed a site for the bridge at the New York Avenue site, upstream from its current position. The Commission of Fine Arts opposed the plan. With President Harding president, the Arlington Memorial Bridge Commission held a joint meeting with Vice President Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
and the Commission of Fine Arts on December 18, 1922, at which time it was unanimously decided to adhere to the McMillan Plan and site the bridge on a line of sight between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House
Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial
Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial, formerly named the Custis-Lee Mansion, is a Greek revival style mansion located in Arlington, Virginia, USA that was once the home of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. It overlooks the Potomac River, directly across from the National Mall in Washington,...
in Arlington National Cemetery. The parties also agreed to seek to construct a low (rather than monumental) bridge with a bascule bridge
Bascule bridge
A bascule bridge is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances the span, or "leaf," throughout the entire upward swing in providing clearance for boat traffic....
(drawbridge) in the center to permit ship traffic to reach the Georgetown waterfront.
Construction of the Arlington Memorial Bridge was authorized by Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
on February 24, 1925, and it opened on January 16, 1932. The dedication ceremony was headed by President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
. Designed by architectural firm McKim, Mead, and White
McKim, Mead, and White
McKim, Mead & White was a prominent American architectural firm at the turn of the twentieth century and in the history of American architecture. The firm's founding partners were Charles Follen McKim , William Rutherford Mead and Stanford White...
, the neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
bridge is 2163 feet (659.3 m) long.
When the bridge opened, trolley service from Mount Vernon to downtown Washington (via Highway Bridge) ceased.
Architecture
Leo Friedlander
Leo Friedlander was an American sculptor who has made several prominent works. Friedlander studied at the Art Students League in New York City, the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Brussels and Paris and the American Academy in Rome...
in 1951. On the pylon
Abutment
An abutment is, generally, the point where two structures or objects meet. This word comes from the verb abut, which means adjoin or having common boundary. An abutment is an engineering term that describes a structure located at the ends of a bridge, where the bridge slab adjoins the approaching...
s of each pier
Pier (architecture)
In architecture, a pier is an upright support for a superstructure, such as an arch or bridge. Sections of wall between openings function as piers. The simplest cross section of the pier is square, or rectangular, although other shapes are also common, such as the richly articulated piers of Donato...
of the bridge are large circular discs with eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
s and fasces
Fasces
Fasces are a bundle of wooden sticks with an axe blade emerging from the center, which is an image that traditionally symbolizes summary power and jurisdiction, and/or "strength through unity"...
designed by sculptor Carl Paul Jennewein
C. Paul Jennewein
Carl Paul Jennewein was a German-born American sculptor.-Early career:Jennewein was born in Stuttgart in Germany. He immigrated to the United States in 1907....
.
The closest Metro
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
station to the bridge is Arlington Cemetery
Arlington Cemetery (Washington Metro)
Arlington Cemetery is a side platformed Washington Metro station in Arlington, Virginia, United States. The station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority . The station provides service for only the Blue Line, and is located at the entrance...
. The bridge connects, both literally and symbolically, the Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial is an American memorial built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The architect was Henry Bacon, the sculptor of the main statue was Daniel Chester French, and the painter of the interior...
and Arlington House
Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial
Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial, formerly named the Custis-Lee Mansion, is a Greek revival style mansion located in Arlington, Virginia, USA that was once the home of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. It overlooks the Potomac River, directly across from the National Mall in Washington,...
, the former home of Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
. This placement was done intentionally to represent the reunification of the North
Northern United States
Northern United States, also sometimes the North, may refer to:* A particular grouping of states or regions of the United States of America. The United States Census Bureau divides some of the northernmost United States into the Midwest Region and the Northeast Region...
and the South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
.
At the southwestern terminus on Columbia Island, the bridge and its connecting roadways connect with the George Washington Memorial Parkway
George Washington Memorial Parkway
The George Washington Memorial Parkway, known to local motorists simply as the "G.W. Parkway", is a parkway maintained by the U.S. National Park Service. It is located mostly in Northern Virginia, although a short section northwest of the Arlington Memorial Bridge passes over Columbia Island,...
, State Route 27
Virginia State Route 27
State Route 27 is a freeway in Arlington County, Virginia, in the United States. It was built during World War II to connect the Pentagon with U.S. Route 50 and northern Arlington to the west and Washington, DC, to the east. Its route parallels the southern boundaries of Arlington National...
and State Route 110
Virginia State Route 110
Virginia State Route 110 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known as Jefferson Davis Highway, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 1 and Interstate 395 in Crystal City north to I-66 in Rosslyn within Arlington County...
. At the northeastern terminus, the bridge and its connecting roadways connect with Constitution Avenue
Constitution Avenue
In Washington, D.C., Constitution Avenue is a major east-west street running just north of the United States Capitol in the city's Northwest and Northeast quadrants...
, Independence Avenue, the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway
Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway
The Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway, often known simply as the Rock Creek Parkway, is a parkway maintained by the National Park Service as part of Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C...
, and the District of Columbia segment of Interstate 66
Interstate 66
Interstate 66 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. As indicated by its even route number, it runs in an east–west direction. Its western terminus is at Middletown, Virginia, at an intersection with Interstate 81; its eastern terminus is in Washington, D.C., at an...
.
A peculiarity of the traffic circle
Traffic circle
A traffic circle or rotary is a type of circular intersection in which traffic must travel in one direction around a central island. In some countries, traffic entering the circle has the right-of-way and drivers in the circle must yield. In many other countries, traffic entering the circle must...
at the southwestern terminus is that traffic already in the circle must yield to traffic entering the circle — the opposite of the standard rule. During morning rush hour
Rush hour
A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...
, a portion of the traffic circle is closed to prevent mergers that would otherwise tie up rush hour traffic.
The center portion of the bridge is a metal draw span
Bascule bridge
A bascule bridge is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances the span, or "leaf," throughout the entire upward swing in providing clearance for boat traffic....
, intended to allow large vessels to pass upriver to Georgetown
Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Georgetown is a neighborhood located in northwest Washington, D.C., situated along the Potomac River. Founded in 1751, the port of Georgetown predated the establishment of the federal district and the City of Washington by 40 years...
. However, with the construction of the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge
Theodore Roosevelt Bridge
The Theodore Roosevelt Bridge is located in Washington, D.C. It carries Interstate 66 and U.S. Highway 50 over the Potomac River near the Kennedy Center, connecting the Rosslyn area of Arlington, Virginia, with Washington...
immediately upstream, which has no such provision, the draw mechanism has been abandoned.
See also
- List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C.
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington, D.C.National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington, D.C.This is a list of properties and districts in the District of Columbia on the National Register of Historic Places. There are more than 500 listings, including 74 National Historic Landmarks of the United States and another 13 places otherwise designated as historic sites of national importance by...
External links
- "Bridge Units Mt Vernon And Nations Capital", April 1931, Popular Mechanics article showing bridge about completed