Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-20
Our Future Park System.

The Senate bill. recently introduced
providing parkway connection between
Potomac Park and the Zoo and Rock
Creek Park following the course OF
and including lower Rock creek, brings
before Congress a very important. In
deed an essential. feature Of all the
comprehensive park Improvement plans
for the Capital that have ever teen
framed and submitted for public con-
sideration. 1t was conspicuous among
the Board of Trade park suggestions of
1899. following in this respect lines
laid down in earlier years. 1t received
special attention in the Capital centen-
NAL thoughts and activities of 1900. and
as result Congress authorized the
preparation of a plan for the parkway
connection, and Samuel Parsons, jr.. a
.prominent landscape architect, under
this authority submitted plan, which
was printed in the report of the National
-tiCaptal centennial committee. This fea-
ture was also we'll handled by
= the Mcmillan park commission. and the
fine arts commission. now existing by
authority of Congress. will undoubtedly
contribute much of value TO the project
in the enthusiastic and effective in
dorsement of the general proposal and
vdn intelligent advice in planning and
carrying out artistically the proposed
parkway.
- This parkway connection will doubly
bless the Capital 1t will substitute
= beauty spot for a nuisance. which as
sails the eye and the nose and health:
and it will become a link in the chain
uniting into a grand system the dis
connected park areas of the capital AS
pointed out in 1899. the future park
system of Washington will include both
banks of the Potomac. connected by
The Memorial bridge. the Zoo and Rock
Creek Park, connected with the river
s-side parks by the lower Rock Creek
parkway. and both banks of the Ana
costa and Anacostia Park that is to
be. connected with Rock Creek Park by
=. boulevard. Fort drive and Soldiers
csHome. This grand and varied expanse
of park area, wonderful asset for the
City Beautiful. could. 1t was, pointed
out, be secured at a minimum Of diff
Guilty and expense
The Rock Creek parkway. now under
consideration by the Senate, and in the
creation OF which every Washingtcnian
and every public-spirited American is
profoundly interested. is obviously a
vital feature of the comprehensive
park plan. 1t is vital in the sense
that the Memorial bridge is vital. The
latter will unite Mount Vernon Airing
ton and the Potomac highlands with
the riverside parks on the north side
of the Potomac, and the latter will con-
solidate the extensive park areas on
both banks of the river with the broad
acres of the Rock Creek Park. Lack
Ing either connection the chain of
parks would be disjointed and fall
apart
Without especial damage differences
Of opinion may perhaps be ventilated
concerning minor details Of park i'm
provement plans. such as questions at
tecting the precise location Of buildings
and monuments, whether this structure
shall face north or south, east or west,
Or whether this or that monument
shall be placed on axis and in a
hole or on hilltop and out Of axial
relations But such proposals as that
Of the Rock Creek parkway and that
= Of the Memorial bridge are integral
and essential parts of any adequate park
Improvement plan. and should receive
the united and hearty support of all
advocates of the City Beautiful and the
Greater Washington.