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Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway Road Closures and Construction update Fall 2012
Beginning October 15, 2012 construction work on Rock Creek Parkway at Waterside Drive will resume. Delays are expected as lane closures occur to accomodate work. Planned completion for all work is December 2012. More »
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October 16, 17, 18 Beach Drive Closure from Rock Creek & Potomac Parkway to Porter Street
Beach Drive will be closed from Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway at Beach Drive to Porter Street, NW from 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 pm daily October 16, 17 and 18. Rock Creek Park maintenance workers will be performing tree work, repairs and tunnel cleaning.
History & Culture
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Rock Creek Park was founded in 1890 as one of the first federal parks. Its establishing legislation, cites the area's natural beauty and high public value. When the park was established, it was on the edge of the growing city and was already a favorite area for rural re-treat. In the establishing legislation, Rock Creek Park was 'dedicated and set apart as a public park or pleasure ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people of the United States." The park would "provide for the preservation from injury or spoliation of all timber, animals, or curiosities within said park, and their retention in their natural condition, as nearly as possible." ROCK CREEK PARK An Administrative History HTML Rock Creek Park: A report by the Olmsted Brothers (1918) (pdf) Meridian Hill Park Cultural Landscape Report, Vol 2, Rock Creek Park (2009) (pdf) Montrose Park Cultural Landscape Report, Rock Creek Park (2009) (pdf)df The Loss of the Frances Scott Key House: Was It Really? (1981) (pdf) ROCK CREEK PARK, Prehistoric Landscapes of the Nation's Capital HTML ROCK CREEK PARK, Historic Resource Study (1990) PDF (5.2 MB) On forested hills surrounding the nation's capital are the remnants of a complex system of Civil War fortifications. Built by Union forces, these strategic buttresses transformed the young capital into one of the world's most fortified cities. These forts remain as windows into the past in the midst of D.C.'s urban green space, offering recreational, cultural, and natural experiences. Civil War Defenses of Washington
Lieutenant Colonel Barton S. Alexander, Chief Engineer of Defenses 1865 Lieutenant Colonel Alexander's suggestions went unheeded and this circle of forts, known as the Civil War Defenses of Washington fell into disuse as the city developed and grew. Although many of the fortifications have crumbled away, their intriguing and compelling stories are very much a part of our national history as well as the local history of Washington, D.C. | ||||
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Did You Know?
Coyote sightings have been reported in Washington, DC since May 2004. DO NOT FEED or attempt to feed them. Once a wild animal gets accustomed to being fed by humans there is much more likelihood that an individual will get bitten by an animal looking for food. More...