Evening star., 1940-10-20
Fifty Years Ago
In the Star
Out on Rock Creek today" reads a

Wv o4A 2NONh SiCCh lOudt, IeaOS a
news story in The Star of October lS.
1890, 'tbe members of the
Rock Creek commission appointed by
Loyout the President 10 lay out
the boundaries of the Rock
Greek Park and to purchase the land
from the owners. began their work
They are limited in their choice by the
restrictions of law requiring that the
park shall be on both sides of the creek.
beginning at Kiingle Ford Bridge. be-
tween which point and the Blagden Mill
road 1t shall not extend over l.2OO feet
in width nor be less than 600 feet, shall
rot altogether embrace in its area more
than 1000 acres, or cost more than
sl,2OOOOO. Any one who has explored
the Rock Creek Valley and knows how
the creek winds and turns, or who has
taken map of the District and made a
reconnaissance of the ground on paper
can see that the various elements of the
problem make it no easy one to solve
Doubtless, if the commissioners were
simply charged to go out and lay off a
beautiful park. regardless of cost or area
they would soon perform their duty, for
there is an abundance of material.
To begin their work with something
definite before them the commission re-
queSted its executive officer. Capt. Ros-
sell, to lay down on a map experimental
boundary lines, which would approxi-
mately meet the requirements of law.
Each commissioner has been provided
with field map, on which the lines laid
are two sets of lines, one which provides
for a park whose eastern and western
boundaries will be lines running parallel
to the general direction of the creek,
the other with lines that are irregular
In both plans the lower part of the
park, or the strip between Klingle Ford
Bridge and the Blagden Mill road is
the same. This is the part limited by
law to a width not greater than 1000
feet nor less than 600 feet, of which not
less than 200 feet shall be on either side
of the creek. This strip will inclose a
winding stretch of creek nearly a mile
long. 1t will practically be a parkway
connecting the Rock Creek Park with
the Geological Park. In both cases the
Blagden Mill and Broad Branch roads,
which divide so as to form an obtuse
angle at the creek from the southern
boundary of the main or upper part OF
the creek, on which width no limit is
placed, except the general limit as to
the area of the park.
In the case of the straight lines one
is drawn from a point on the Blagden
Mill road not far west of its junction
with the Fourteenth street road straight
out to the District boundary on a line
parallel with the direction of the creek.
The other parallel on the west side of
the creek is drawn from a point on the
Broad Branch road and runs SO as to
almost touch the Daniels road. The
line on this side comes out just at the
head of the creek within the District,
the norwest corner of the District with
in the park. These parallel lines are
5000 feet apart, and the distance from
the Blagden Mill road to the District
line is about $4,000 feet, or nearly three
miles. The east line would be in the
line Of Sixteenth street if that street
was carried out to the District boundary
on straight line. The area of the park
thus laid down. including the narrow
strip at the south, is figured out by Capt.
Rossell to be 1880 acres, or 20 acres
within the limit.
THE other proposed boundaries laid
down by Capt. Rossell for the upper or
main portion of the park are curved and
irregular, but the area included within
them is about the same as in the other
plan. On the east side the southern
boundary follows the Blagden Mill road
nearly to the Fourteenth street road,
and then turning north sweeps out to
the District line, bending in toward the
creek at some points and widening out
at others. On the west side Of the creek
the boundary follows the line Of the
Broad Branch road to the Rock Greek
Ford and Military roads, along which 1t
crosses to the Daniels road, and this road
It follows out to The District line"