The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-02-27
Quaint OLD GEORGETOWN ASKS MODERN PARK SYSTEM
Picturesque Section of City
Tells It's Needs, and Out
lines Plans for Drives,
BOuIevardS and Parks.

Georgetown her loyal sons are planning
city beautiful. Unsightly spots are to
be eliminated, its ramshackie buildings TO
be removed. and the entire section that
is to-day, legally, West Washington is
to be surrounded with system of parks
that will prove an important element in
the parking system Of the District of CO.
lumbia.
Georgetown. as the old families that
have resided within its borders for cen
turtles still delight In calling 1t. is one of
the oldest as well as most interesting
sections of Washington. Contrary 10 the
popular impression that it is finished
town. it is in reality one of the most con-
sistently dependent business districts in
Washington. So far from being finished,
it's citizens have developed an amount of
enthusiasm and enterprise that promises
to keep the rest Of the city busy 10 main
tain the pace they will set.
What is Immediately expected of the
government. in this plan Of improvement.
was summarized by Albion X Paris,
president Of the Georgetown Citizens AS
ISOLATION during the past week when.
along with officers representing over
thirty other citizens associations. he ap-
peared before the Board of District Com
missioners to present his claims.
What Georgetown Asks.
Mr., Paris who in representing an old
part of the town. containing 2S,50O men,
suffragettes, and children, said:
I'VE have asked for a respectable en-
trance into Georgetown through P street;
that is. we desire the repaving with an
asphalt surface of the played out Belgian
pavement the like Of which is hardly 10
be seen hereabouts and which is disrepu-
table to any section. despite the fact that
the only matter of especial notice in
Georgetown is the cemetery.
I'VE have also asked for three or four
years for the repaving OF the second
business street. Wisconsin avenue. from
Pennsylvania avenue for three or four
blocks. We have demonstrated, petitioned,
and. as far as the conditions will allow.
We are demanding that something shall
be done with the unsightly and insani-
tary dump on the banks of Rock Creek
TO the south Of p street bridge"
The homes of this section have always
been among the most attractive in Wash
ingtOn because OF the presence of that
Southern air Of comfort and hospitality
which pervades them. Unlike the newer
sections, most of the houses set weIl-back
from the sidewalks and are surrounded
with attractive shade trees and pretty
lawns
But IL IS tIroY, the nronosad uartr s,-s4a,,,
that residents are depending for a large
part Of added picturesqueness of its resi-
Dental section. With the entire territory
surrounded with parks and the beautiful
oak tree lining its streets, Georgetown
should become one of the most delightful
sections Of the city. and values CORE
spondingly enhanced.
CuIvert Is Probable.
While the plans of the park commits
sion contemplated one or two innovations
in the treatment of the Rock Creek val
ley. the rapid nlling-in OF the valley ad-
jacent 10 street, now being used
as a public dump. makes it more and
more probable that the plan to be select /
ed for the improvement of this section
viii involve the building of a large
masonry culvert, OF sewer, for the creek
and the filling-in of the ground over the
culvert so as to obllterate the valley and
raise II to the level OF the adjacent lands
Upon this made ground the parkway Will
be laid out.
North Of Q street the valley Is 80 at
tractive and the sylvan character so
pronounced that from this point north
the open valley plan will probably be
adopted. A branch drive should lead to
Sheridan Circle, and the main drive
should rise along the easterly side OF the
valley so as TO get plunging view, and
so as TO pass under Massachusetts ave
nue., permitting an easy connection with
it. On the south. connection will be made
with Potomac Park and the attractive /
drives contemplated therein
To bring the Potomac into direct con
nection with the city and provide a west
ern park boundary for West Washing
ton, as well as to provide an approach
from Georgetown to the Geological Park /
and Rock Greek. a parkway is proposed |
from the end of the contemplated Po- |
toHac drive at the valley OF Foundry /
Branch. half mile above the Aqueduct |
Bridge to Rock Creek Parkway, near
Massachusetts avenue.
Part of Permanent System.
The valley Of Foundry Branch must be |
spanned by a viaduct just north of the |
electric railway trestle, and as the valley |
is deep, narrow. and picturesque. it is de- |
sired that it be preserved as part Of |
the permanent parking system From |
this valley the line would cross the ridge |
upon the end Of which stands the George |
town Observatory, and run on a direct |
line by easy grades to the gap south of |
the Naval Observatory.
In passing through the lands Of George
town University, which are likely to remain |
always agreeable and park-Iike, the width |
might be reduced to the minimum requi- |
site for a single drive and paths.
In crossing the ridge at Thirty-fifth |
street and the Tennallytown road. the |
central drive would be depressed below |
the streets, both for the sake of an easy
gradient and in order TO pass beneatht
those two busy streets. East of this |
ridge the things should widen out. so as
TO preserve the charming valley scenery
which extends from this point to Rock |
Creek. A branch similar in treatment
would connect with the observatory |
grounds.
The boundaries are so planned as TO |
provide for broader streets on reasonable |
grades including the best of the valley |
scenery and permitting the construction |
OF central drive, paths, and so forth. /
without destroying its beauty. In addi-
ton to this. projecting piece of land of /
about thirteen acres Is included In the /