Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-21
BROWN REVEALS !.
HUGE PARK PLAN.
Architects in Meeting This
Week to Discuss Projected
System About Capital.

SopAtol ram dLlu TIdtltlulSs OOInIulS-
sion, said yesterday in statement re-
leased through the American Institute
of Architects. which will hold three
day meeting in Washington, starting
Tuesday.
The institute will consider THE De-
yelopment of the National Capital as
one of its major topics on the program
Of the sixty-second convention, which
will adjourn to New York on Friday.
+ Giving comprehensive view Of the
park development Of the city and out
lining plans for the future, Moi. Brown
asserted that the Washington of to-
morrow will witness the expansion Of
a system of parks not only within the
metropolis itself, but extending from
Washington to Baltimore, Mount
Vernon and Great Falls. Rock Creek
Park will be expanded into nearby
Maryland; an imposing parkway will
stretch from Great Falls, 10 miles above
Washington, to Mount Vernon, IS miles
below the Capital, and Anacostia Park
will take the form of a parkway con-
nection between Washington and Balti-
more, Maj. Brown points out, If present
plans materialize.
# Praises Natural Beauty.
! "It is extremely fortunate that the
National Capital is located amidst sur
roundings OF such great natural beauty
as the Washington region" Maj. Brown
asserted. Probably this situation
should 10 credited not, so much to good
fortune as to the forethought of the
founders, since Gen. WashingtonS ap-
probation of the locality had been evil
denced by his prior selection of Mount
Vernon as his home.
The Potomac River is the main nat
ural feature of the entire region. The
city is located at the head of navigation,
above the city being a 10-mile stretch
of rapids At Great Falls, the head of
thz.se rapids, there is a drop of over so
feet, while in the gorge between Great
Falls and the city there is further
drop of almost 100 feet to the tide
water at Washington. Flowing into
the Potomac at Washington is the
Anacostia or Eastern Branch, a low
tidal stream, navigable for short dis
lance from its mouth.
Entering the Potomac at some dis
lance above the Anacostia, but still
within the District boundaries, is Rock
Creek The course of this stream lies
through a steep-sided, rocky valley.
comparable on a smaller scale to the
Potomac above the city, as distinguished
from the low-lying banks of the
Eastern Branch and of the Potomac be-
low Analostan Island at the mouth Of
Rock Creek
1.-The park system, existing and pro-
posed, is, in the main, developed about
these streams The fats of the Po-
tomac below Analostan Island and Of
the lower Anacostia have been re-
claimed by pumping material from the
river to create the extensive Potomac
and AnacoStia Parks. The Anacostia
reclamation will ultimately make Ana
costa Park continuous on the east side
of the river On the west side por-
ton of the water front is devoted to
commercial purposes; the remainder Is
park.
"Contrasted to the low-lying river
side areas Of Potomac and AnacoStia
Parks are the wooded, hilly areas Of
Rock Creek Park and Fort Dupont.
Rock Greek Park is justly famed for its
great natural beauties. Fort Dupont
Park, now in process Of acquisition, is
much like Rock Greek in general char
acter 1t will serve the eastern section
of the city as Rock Creek serves the
western.
Fort Drive Important.
"An additional main feature of the
park system, as planned for the future,
earthworks for the defense Of the Capt.
tai were constructed on the surround
ing hills at distance of 8 to miles
from the Capitol and the White House.
The 1901 park plan recommended the
acquisition of these forts and their con-
nection, one with the other, by q park
way or varying width. Several of the
forts have been acquired, retaining
many earthworks in an excellent state
of preservation Unfortunately, no
progress has yet been made toward the
acquisition of the connecting drive.
In the valley of Rock Greek, just
below Rock Creek Park proper, Is the
Zoo From the Zoo to the mouth of
the creek, land has been acquired for
the Rock Greek and Potomac Parkway.
park and parkway connection along
Rock Greek from Potomac Park to the
District line
For the preservation of streams flow
ing into Rock Creek and for the pur-
pose of providing entrances into the
park tributary valleys have been &C.
Quired, notably Piney Branch, Klingle
Valley and Soapstone Valley. In gen.
eral these feeder parkways pass beneath
the main arterial highway lying to
either side of the park proper. Acquisi-
ton OF such tributary valleys not only
serves park purposes, but also provides
dPofv h. <.fl
expensive storm water culverts.
Another unit CT the park system
Of great value to the western section
of the District Is the Foundry Branch
Valley, which project was initiated by
the generous dedications made by G. C.
Glover and Mrs. Anne Archbold.
Many Small Parks.
within the central section of the
city are many small parks provided by
the L'Enfant plan The L'Enfant area
is In general fiat and closely built up.
This indicates a more or less formal
type of park treatment. When the
highway plan was extended to the
rougher terrain beyond the L'Enfant
area, the designation of park squares
was not extended except for an occa-
sional circle at multiple street inter-
section. The parks in this outer area
are therefore less formal in location, and
quite properly less fornlal-or natilral-,
istic-in treatment This is entirely
consistent with the topography and the
general conditions which surround.
what has been said relates mainly
to- the park system within the District
of Columbia. However, the project of
the National Capital Park and Plan
mig Commission, charged since 1924
with the development of plans and the
acquisition of land for the park system,
iSAregional. Existing parks within the
district fit in exceliently with this idea,
1.-THE regional park plans contemplate
continuous park or parkway connections
alhg the Potomac from Mount Vernon,