Evening star., 1936-06-07
PARK SYSTEM PROGRESS
SINCE 1882 is RAPID
Plans Prepared More Than 80 Years
Ago to Improve and Beautify
Tracts Finally Realized.
By C. MARSHALL FINNAN,

Superintendent, National Capital Parks.
HHE extensive park system OF
the District of Columbia and
metropolitan area has been
planned and designed to fill
two requirements. First, the actual
needs as determined by the size and
population of the city, and, second,
the additional and special develop
fnent commensurate with other Fed
eral improvements in the National
Capital. Under the circumstances 1t
Is readily understood and appreciated
that this dual system, If we may call
1t such for want of a better name, is
essential and also is desirable, since
the two park elements involved are
Complementary and one set of values
enhances the other. Specifically, the
large Federal area in the heart OF
the city, known as the Mall, EllipSe,
Monument Grounds and Lincoln Me-
mortal, although planned and de-
signed as settings for public buildings
and memorials. provide wide va
riety Of recreational opportunities for
many thousands of Washingtonians
annually. This is close to the ideal
situation and is not to be found in
any other large city in America.
While the advantages of this syS-
TEN are numerous, the problems OF
planning, developing and maintaining
are proportionally complex. The
planning of the park, parkway and
playground system of the District and
environs is now the responsibility Of
the National Park and Planning Com
mission, an independent establish
ment of government created by Con-
gress in 1926. All architectural fea-
lures of the park system, including
landscape, must be studied and ap-
proved by the Commission OF Fine
Arts.
From the foregoing it will be seen
that the Office of National Capital
Parks must work with the two COM
missions on the planning and design
ing of the parks and is also charged
with the full responsibility of ad-
ministering, constructing and MAIN
tanning the system.
Placed Under Park Service.
The parks of Washington were
placed under the administration OF
the National Park Service Of the De-
partment of the Interior by President
Roosevelt in August, 1888. This service
Is now the largest park organization
in the world and is the only Office OF
its kind in the Federal Government
1t now administers or assists in the
administration of park areas in each
State in the Union and these areas
embrace everything from the small
wayside State parks to the great
scenic national parks. Also, State
planning boards are receiving the help
and corporation of the service.
Greater progress has been made in
the development and construction Of
the park system during the past three
years than during any corresponding
period in the history of the National
Capital. Plans which had been pre-
pared and approved more than 80
years ago and remained dormant
awaiting the action of a sympathetic
Government and park administration
have now been realized. Most worthy
of these older plans is the Mall, con-
ceived by Pierre L L'Enfant, revived and
modified by the commission of 1901
and finally brought to near compile
tion in 1886.
Lafayette Park was redesigned more
than 20 years ago to meet the then
existing conditions. The first con-
struction in accordance with this plan
was started about 10 years ago. Only
very small amount of the work was
finished. BY July Is of this year
Lafayette Park will be complete. Fort
Dupont, magnificent natural wood
land park of several hundred acres,
is now being developed by c. C. c.
and will be open for full public use
by the Spring of 1887. This area will
do much to improve the park system
of Northeast and Southeast Washing
ton and will provide recreational op-
portunities for thousands of residents
and visitors. Roosevelt Island. now
being Handicapped, will be q quiet and
6ignified forest memorial.
Swimming Pools Added.
Recreational areas and swimming
pools may also be added to the list OF
recently completed projects. Last year
more than $1,000 free "swims" were
provided for the children of our city
in large, attractive new public pools
equipped with the latest modern sani-
tary devices. Two more pools will be
completed this season, one in East
Potomac Park and one in section C,
Anacostia Park, bringing the program
for the major pools well along toward
completion.
One of the most important projects
and certainly the one which has
brought forth the most public COM
ment, has been the work on the mid
town parks and small reservations
These activities consisted mainly OF
replacing unhealthy, diseased and un-