Evening Star Newspaper, September 27, 1936, Page 49

Part 4—8 Pages OUTHEAST SECTION SEEKS NEW PLACE IN THE he Swnday St FEAT URES WASHINGTON, D. C, SUNDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER ‘27, 1936. Area Once Center o By Myrta Ethel Cawood. MERGING from a century-old eclipse, Southeast Washington | is slowly regaining its place in the sun, For many years the National Capital Park and Planning Commission has “viewed with grave eoncern the unbalanced development of the city” and now as the major northwest projects are out of the way the commission next will concentrate its efforts on the long-neglected east and southeast sections. This body has for several years discouraged new projects that would further growth in the already congested northwest area to the detriment of other sections of the city. Originally the city fathers expected the Federal Capital to develop chiefly to the east and south, consequently they faced the Capitol east and on southeast land they built the House wing and the Library of Congress. Later, on this land pregnant with his- torical significance, they built the old and new House Office Buildings, th: Library Annex and the classic Folger Library. ‘When the city was young Washing- ton aristocracy entrenched itself on Capitol Hill, while the avid real estate barons skyrocketed land prices in that vicinity. But business sought cheaper land in the northwest and great streams of population followed. The Capitol Hill brummels looked with longing eyes to the verdant highlands of Anacostia, but the pressure of modern conveniences drove them to the northwest. Only the Navy Yard remained and prospered through the long eclipse of commercial develop- ment. Until recently the three stubborn cbstacles. that blocked the growtis of > f Culture, Politics and Real Estate Develop-{ ment Looks to Future for Restoration to Old Standards of Beauty and Progress. East and Southeast Washington were the marshy flats of the Anacostia River, lack of city facilities and ex- horbitant land prices. Today not one disappear was the malaric swampland of the Anacostia River, which has recently been reclaimed and developed into a magnificent riverside park. ‘HE immediate need in the rapidly developing southeast is a new Pennsylvania avenue bridge. The ex- isting bridge, the main route to Southern Maryland, is deemed unsafe, nor can it adequately accommodate | the flow of traffic in that direction. | Already & $25,000 appropriation has | been made and plans are being drawn for this bridge. The western approach near old Congressional Cemetery is named for Commodore Barney, hero of the Battle of Bladensburg, while the eastern plaza is a memorial to Andrew Ellicott, an early Washington surveyor, who modified the L'Enfant plan. William A, Maio, president of the Southeast Washington Citizens’ Asso- ciation, strongly advocates that the new bridge be of monumental propor- tions and named for John Philip Souss, the great American march king, who was born in Southeast Washington. Near the bridge is the old swimming hole, where Sousa romped as a boy, and in Congressional Cemetery he lies buried, at his own request. Lovers of Sousa’s music long have discussed a plan to igedrporate in the new bridge a system to amplify the records of Sousa’s marches. So that every evening at twilight mo= torists: may drive over this one-thirds mile-long bridge to the stirring straing of such martial airs as “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” Studies have also been made-for-s &) of these objections exists. The last tc | | The avenue beyond the District line bridge over the Anacoscia at Massa- | chusetts avenue as a main route to | Chesapeake Beach and the bay shore. | would follow Oxon Run Valley and eventually connect with = Marlboro Road at Oakland. The present Ana- costia and Benning Bridges will re- main many years, but a bridge is needed now to cross the river at South Capitol and P streets, which will shorten the distance between down- town Washington and the flying flelds. It also will connect the Ana- costia and Potomac Parks with the proposed Fort Washington scenic highway. According to the Civil War forts project the fort drive will cross the Anacostia River near the National Training School -for ‘Boys. The pro- posed bridge at the foot of East Cap- itol street will undoubtedly be & monumental bridge with memorial plaza entrances, as it climaxes the “Avenue of States” and will be the grand eastern portal to the Capitol. In a few years the Anacostia- River with its many bridges will be com- parable to East River in New York— but far more magnificent. Land already has been set aside for a great national amphitheater, which is to be built at the foot of East Cap- itol' street bordering on the river. Grading is being done on the site. This great outdoor coliseum, planned to seat more than 120,000 persons, will be the scene of national and in- ternational contests of all kinds, Army and Navy foot ball games, concerts and PROPOSED AVENUE or Tne NW. | N.E. Sw3 SE. & MASS. ave smince,, 3 v / “S0UuTH { CAPITOL ST. BRIDGE 7 Prawn a1 Bernara xeha \; \E_Capitol St. Brid oA PENNSYLVANIA AVE. / BRIDGE LEGEND wmww PROPOSED BRIDGES e— coNSTRUCTED BRIDGES pann Arca (1) The United States Capitol at the hub of Wash- ington. (2) The Library of Congress in Southeast Wash- ington. (3) Plan for the development of East Capitol Street into the “Avenue of the States,” flanked by build- ings for each State in the Union, with the 13 original Colonies grouped about Independence Square, now Lin- coln Park. From a drawing by the Beaux Arts Institute of Design, approved by various Federal Commissions. (4) Clearing ground at Fort Dupont for new development work. (5) Map showing proposed bridges and parks in Southeast Washington. (6) Lincoln Park, apex of the proposed “Avenue of States.” 'HE development of East Capitol | verdant acres stretch along 6 miles of street into the proposed “Avenue of States” is among the greatest fu- ture projects for the beautification of Washington. This plan was devised by the Beaux Arts Institute and ap- proved by various Federal commis- sions. “In brief, it consists of monu- mental buildings—one for each State —flanking each side of East Capitol street. Each State will erect its own building and use it as a State head- quarters, library, museum and shrine for its two statues, which are now, or were, in National Statuary Hall in the Capitol. A semi-circle of builde ings for the thirteen original Col- onies, grouped around what is now Lincoln Park, would climax the proj- ect. Surely the 48 State libraries,. the Library of Congress and the Folgex Library would make this the greatest “avenue of knowledge” in the world. otlér mass gatherings. The site is about. the same distance from the Capitol on the east as the Lincoln Meniorial is to the west and was marked by L'Enfant as the main front sproach-to-the - Cepitol. < 4 Beautiful parks and recreational cen- east. After aix bor the marshy Anacostia fiats have been reclaimed Sureague - packs in-Americs.:Its . 488 water front. This park is the realized dream of Dr. George C. Havenner, who began to boost the idea 35 years ago and never ceased until it was completed. Anacostia Park's most exquisite feature is the lane of American crab- apple trees between the Eleventh Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Bridges. When they mature, un- doubtedly the trees will rival in fra- grance and color the world-famous Japanese cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin. Another interesting spot in this park is the National Memorial Grove of trees closely associated with historical events, places and persons. During the last 35 years the Park Commission has been quietly acquir- ing the sites of the 30 or more Civil War forts surrounding the city. Many are still well preserved. They all afford wonderful park features— sweeping views, natural scenery, grand ‘old trees, hilltops, deep valleys and ravines. Those already acquired in the highlands of Southeast Wash- tngton are Forts Chaplin, Dupont, Davis, Baker, Wagner, Ricketts, Sny- der, Carroll and Greble. The Southeast forts cover a larger acreage than the combined area of the forts in other parts of the ecity. Fort_Dupont s the third largest park ] SUN ¥Skyrocketing Land Prices Century Ago Diverted Str_eam of Pop- ulation Elsewhere; Many Monuments May Rise to | unsurpassed—even by Rock Creek. | | Eventually a large sylvan theater and | camp-fire site will be added features | to its spacious grounds. | Extending from Conduit road north- west to Blue Plains southeast will be & magnificent fort boulevard, 23 miles long, connecting the Civil War forts within the District. The highway will furnish cross connections to any part of the city. Motorists may pick up the road wherever they choose and drive over a continuous scenic route flanked by unbroken wooded parks connect- ing the chain of historic forts. Each site commands a sweeping view of the city, which determined its selec- tion as a military post. From the parapet of Fort Stanton there is an unbelievable view of the entire city, while plainly discernible to the west are the green hills of Arlington and to the south the azed walls of old Fort Washington. The Fort drive is destined to become one of the most famous boulevards in the world. OR is that all. At Blue Plains along Oxon Run the Fort drive will connect with Fort Washington boulevard, which is to have a mini- mum width of 250 feet, and which is to be built along the Potomac River through Fort Foot to Indian Queen Bluff over a bridge at Broad Creek and along the Potomac to L'Enfant’s old Fort Washington—famed for its ancient moat and -portcullis—then across the river by ferry to Fort Hunt, where it joins the. George Washing- ton Memorial Highway and returns to. Washington, making a loop drive of 29 miles over the Maryland and Virginia shores of the lower Potomac. Already the Government owns most of the 341 acres of land in this proj- ect, which includes Fort Foot, Fort Washington, Oxon Run Valley, Shep- berd Park,.Blue Plains, Naval Air Station and Bolling Field. The lands were acquired many years ago, 50 that the eastern bank of the Potomac might be developed to conform to the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway and enhance the setting of America’s greatest shrine—the home of Wash- ington. A section. of the “Blue.and Gray’ ¢ connect the Virginia forts, Arlington | and the proposed Woodrow . Wilson peace carillon on Lee Highway with the Mount Vernon Boulevard on the south and the District Fort drive on the north, thus making a continuous 50-mile circuit drive, all the way| around the city and down each side | of the river to Mount Vernon. Fifty unforgettable miles! Another development of the Ana- costia River Park approved by both | the State of Maryland and the Dis- trict is a scenic highway connecting Washington and Baltimore, similar to | the Bronx Parkway in New York and | ‘Westchester. This park-boulevard will | include all the historic places en| route, including Bladensburg battle- | ground and duelling field and Fort | Meade. At present few monuments and no | statues grace Southeast Washington, | but surely many will be added in the future. This section teems with tra-| ditions and is alive with history. Every inch of its land has been trodden by men famous in the making of Wash- ington. The Fort drive and its parks, the new bridges and their plaza en- trances all offer unusual opportunie ties for memorials. A statue of Capt. John Smith may mark the spot in Anacostia Park where he landed in 1608 while e: ploring the tributaries of the Chesa- peake Bay. A great monument may be erected in the future to Col Charles A. Lindbergh, who as a youth attended Hines .Junior High School and who first landed on Washington soil at the Navy Yard after his re- turn from his epic flight across the Atlantic. A fountain in this area would be a fitting memorial to John Howard | Payne, author of the immortal song, | “Home, Sweet Home.” Payne and his bosom friend, George W. Talburtt, | are said to have selected a site for & Jjoint home on the south shore of the Anacostia River at the foot of How- ard avenue. After Payne died in Tunis in 1841 Talburtt built the home and under the “spreading chestnut trees”, on his lawn he used to sit, strum his guitar and sing “Home, Sweet Home.” 3, Figures Who Made Early Residence There. in Washington. And its beauty is| boulevard in Arlington County "llX,THOMAS JEFFERSON might be appropriately honored in South- east, probably at the apex of the “Avenue of States.” Jefferson walked from Conrad's boarding house on New Jersey avenue and C street to take the oath of office as President. He was not off Southeast ground that eventful morning until he became President. . Zachary Taylor, that intrepid old Indian warrior, is another President unhonored in the Federal Capital. President Taylor died in the White House of sunstroke a few days after laying the corner stone of the Wash= ington Monument. Dr. William Thornton is almost unknown in Washington, although it was he who drew the original plans for the Capi« tol. Surely a park or street could be | named for them in some new South- east project. Half the vacant land within the District of Columbia lies east of the Anacostia River. “This land,” says the National Capital Park and Plan- ning Commission, “can accommodate at least 700,000 additional popula< tion.” A well-known Washington architect recently chose a home site in this section. “There is no place on earth,” he says, “more beautiful or inspiring than the highlands across the Anacostia River.” President Cleveland once selected & site for his mansion on Hillcrest, over= looking the Capitol, but when the owner learned his client was the President of the United States he raised his price five-fold over night and Cleveland, like many others, went northwest for cheaper land. The “Dome,” or some such wooded hill overlooking the city, would be an ideal location for a Washington art colony—for the city has none. Away from the pulsating noises of the con= gested metropolis, with a $4,000,000 riverside park in the front yard and a chain of historic fort parks in the back, one could find quiet enjoyment and inspiration in a home set like & box seat in a great open-air amphi~ theater looking down wupon the Statue of Freedom, imperturbably gaz- ing east from her alabaster-like throne on the dome of the Capitol f. the greatest Nation on earth. 4