BGuthrie Photos: DC -- S. Dillon Ripley Center -- Exhibit: Worthy of the Nation: Planning America's Capital

DC -- S. Dillon Ripley Center -- Exhibit: Worthy of the Nation: Planning America's Capital:

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Description of Pictures: Worthy of the Nation: Planning America's Capital
October 10, 2007 – February 14, 2008
On view from the 2006 second edition Worthy of the Nation: The Planning of Washington, D.C., from L'Enfant to the National Capital Planning Commission are approximately 75 photographs and illustrations that depict the challenges associated with planning Washington, D.C., over its 200-year history. This edition incorporates changes that have happened since the 1977 first edition, from the end of the bicentennial era to post-9/11, including the Metrorail system, the addition of memorials and museums, the revitalization of Pennsylvania Avenue, and more. Also on view are portions of National Capital Planning Commission's large 3-D scale model of Washington's monumental core. For this second edition, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) partnered with historian Dr. Antoinette Lee, photo archivist Peter Penczer, and the Johns Hopkins University Press. Large-Scale Model of Washington's monumental core.
The exhibition is presented in conjunction with the Smithsonian Office of Historic Preservation. Organized by the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC).

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Copyrights: All pictures were taken by amateur photographer Bruce Guthrie (me!) who retains copyright on them. Free for non-commercial use with attribution. See the [Creative Commons] definition of what this means. "Photos (c) Bruce Guthrie" is fine for attribution. (Commercial use folks including AI scrapers can of course contact me.) Feel free to use in publications and pages with attribution but you don't have permission to sell the photos themselves. A free copy of any printed publication using any photographs is requested. Descriptive text, if any, is from a mixture of sources, quite frequently from signs at the location or from official web sites; copyrights, if any, are retained by their original owners.

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[1] RIPPLN_071130_006.JPG	[2] RIPPLN_071130_010.JPG	[3] RIPPLN_071130_012.JPG
[4] RIPPLN_071130_016.JPG	[5] RIPPLN_071130_023.JPG	[6] RIPPLN_071130_024.JPG
[7] RIPPLN_071130_029.JPG	[8] RIPPLN_071130_032.JPG	[9] RIPPLN_071130_040.JPG
[10] RIPPLN_071130_043.JPG	[11] RIPPLN_071130_046.JPG	[12] RIPPLN_071130_050.JPG
[13] RIPPLN_071130_063.JPG	[14] RIPPLN_071130_069.JPG	[15] RIPPLN_071130_075.JPG
[16] RIPPLN_071130_079.JPG	[17] RIPPLN_071130_084.JPG	[18] RIPPLN_071130_089.JPG
[19] RIPPLN_071130_090.JPG	[20] RIPPLN_071130_094.JPG	[21] RIPPLN_071130_099.JPG
[22] RIPPLN_071130_102.JPG	[23] RIPPLN_071130_107.JPG	[24] RIPPLN_071130_110.JPG
[25] RIPPLN_071130_116.JPG	[26] RIPPLN_071130_122.JPG	[27] RIPPLN_071130_124.JPG
[28] RIPPLN_071130_129.JPG	[29] RIPPLN_071130_133.JPG	[30] RIPPLN_071130_135.JPG
[31] RIPPLN_071130_139.JPG	[32] RIPPLN_071130_142.JPG	[33] RIPPLN_071130_146.JPG
[34] RIPPLN_071130_151.JPG	[35] RIPPLN_071130_154.JPG	[36] RIPPLN_071130_161.JPG
[37] RIPPLN_071130_163.JPG

Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. RIPPLN_071130_006.JPG: U.S. Capitol grounds before Olmsted's redesign, late 1860s. Capitol grounds: Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr., cleared the U.S. Capitol grounds of dense forest and created a grand architectural terrace that functioned both as a viewing platform and an invitation to the building. Olmsted's changes were essential to converting the Mall from the "backyard" of the Capitol to the "front yard" of the nation. In 1901-1902, the McMillan Plan built on these efforts and returned to L'Enfant's vision of a broad, green promenade for the Mall.
2. RIPPLN_071130_010.JPG: The National Mall, prior to completion of redevelopment, 1932 Mall Development Plan: In 1929, Congress authorized the Mall Development Plan, which called for the modernization of the Mall in accordance with the L'Enfant and McMillan Plans. The project included the extension of the Mall from the Washington Monument to the newly completed Lincoln Memorial; the removal of "obstructive" trees; surface grading, and the planting of elm trees along avenues running between the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument. These changes helped create the open vistas that make the Mall a desired location for festivals, political rallies, and cultural events.
3. RIPPLN_071130_012.JPG: The National Mall, 1937 Mall Development Plan: In 1929, Congress authorized the Mall Development Plan, which called for the modernization of the Mall in accordance with the L'Enfant and McMillan Plans. The project included the extension of the Mall from the Washington Monument to the newly completed Lincoln Memorial; the removal of "obstructive" trees; surface grading, and the planting of elm trees along avenues running between the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument. These changes helped create the open vistas that make the Mall a desired location for festivals, political rallies, and cultural events.
4. RIPPLN_071130_016.JPG: Temporary Federal Office Buildings on the Mall, 1943 Temporary Mall buildings: The "temporary" buildings on the north side of the National Mall, many erected during World War I, remained until work began on Constitution Gardens for the U.S. Bicentennial celebration of 1976.
5. RIPPLN_071130_023.JPG: The plan for the next 100 years
6. RIPPLN_071130_032.JPG: Creating a Capital City Worthy of the Nation: The surrounding display panels reflect the rich planning history of our nation's capital as captured in the second edition of "Worthy of the Nation," recently published by the Johns Hopkins University Press, and the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC). From the original design for Washington by Pierre L'Enfant in 1791 to the modern day, the book chronicles the efforts by planners to create a national capital the embodies democratic ideals and sets an international standard for a well-designed capital. "Worthy of the Nation" traces efforts to preserve and expand upon L'Enfant's vision, including the McMillan Plan of 1901, which extended the National Mall and designated numerous sites for future parks and monuments. This model depicts the city's next major planning initiative: NCPC's 1997 "Extending the Legacy: Planning America's Capital for the 21st Century." "Legacy's" visionary concepts are considered a valuable guide for architects and planners as they develop future plans for the capital city. The bold concepts of Legacy are intended to spur action while remaining flexible enough to accommodate change. "Legacy's" goal is to create a more efficient, more beautiful city -- a capital truly worthy of the nation. To preserve the treasured open space of the National Mall, "Extending the Legacy" promotes sites throughout the city for future memorials and museums. To date, NCPC has guided give commemorative works to sites off the Mall, including the new Air Force Memorial near the Pentagon and the Victims of Communism Memorial in Northwest Washington. "Legacy" even envisioned a new concept for RFK stadium site with a major memorial of museum and mixed-use development to revitalize this eastern gateway into the city.
7. RIPPLN_071130_040.JPG: Blue = proposed development Pink or White = public buildings (masonry and other) Gray = privately owned
8. RIPPLN_071130_089.JPG: Murder Bay, a notorious slum during the Civil War, was located in what is now the Federal Triangle. Federal Triangle: The construction of the Federal Triangle (1926-1938) was the first major redevelopment project undertaken by the federal government. The demolition of the derelict and crime-ridden area, home to the city's red light district and gambling parlors, encountered little opposition.
9. RIPPLN_071130_090.JPG: Southwest urban renewal area, ca. 1955. Slum clearance: After World War II, federal legislation facilitated the demolition of urban neighborhoods through the United States by subsidizing projects that coupled slum clearance with the construction of low-cost public housing. Although the Housing Act of 1954 provided funds for projects that retained and rehabilitated existing buildings, condemnation and land disposal were already well underway in Southwest DC.
10. RIPPLN_071130_094.JPG: Georgetown, ca. 1795. Georgetown: Georgetown and Alexandria were already cosmopolitan port towns when L'Enfant began planning the capital city. Although both towns fell within the original borders of the federal city, Alexandria was returned to the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1847. Georgetown was eventually woven into the L'Enfant city, but the neighborhood retains a distinct character.
11. RIPPLN_071130_099.JPG: Montgomery C. Meigs designed Union Arch to carry the Washington Aqueduct. Aqueduct: Washington, DC struggled to obtain fresh drinking water until the completion of the aqueduct from Great Falls in 1862. A more reliable supply to the western areas of the city reinforce social sectoring that was already underway. Working-class residents clustered close to the Navy Yard, while the more affluent tended to settle in the Northwest quadrant of the city.
12. RIPPLN_071130_102.JPG: Dedication of the Capital Beltway, August 18, 1964 Capital Beltway: A series of Federal-Aid Highway Acts in the 1940s and 1950s paved the way to the suburbs for residents, businesses, and government facilities. Planning for the Capital Beltway started in the 1950s and the sixty-four mile circumference was complete in 1964. The Beltway changed travel behavior and land use throughout the region, creating a proliferation of destinations and origins.
13. RIPPLN_071130_107.JPG: Bowie subdivision, Prince George's County, Maryland, 1963 Bowie: Weak planning guidance in the development of suburbs led to sprawling subdivisions with traffic and transit problems.
14. RIPPLN_071130_116.JPG: National Airport, constructed on land created by dredging the Potomac River, 1941.
15. RIPPLN_071130_122.JPG: Sketch of the Washington Monument as designed by Robert Mills, mid-1800s Washington Monument: Until the 1840s, the Mall had been used primarily for grazing and agriculture. In 1848, construction began on the Washington Monument, designed by Robert Mills. it took nearly four decades to complete (1885). In conformance with the classical geometry of the L'Enfant Plan, the monument should have been placed at a 90 degree intersection with the U.S. Capitol and the White House, but it was moved to higher ground for greater stability.
16. RIPPLN_071130_124.JPG: Beef Depot at the Washington Monument during the Civil War Mall: The open spaces of the National Mall, until very recently, were routinely appropriated for other uses -- especially during times of war. Over the years, the Mall houses of train station, office buildings, an armory, greenhouses, dormitories, cattle pastures, and even a slaughterhouse. During the Civil War, the grounds of the Washington Monument served as a cattle yard.
17. RIPPLN_071130_129.JPG: Dulles International Airport Terminal, 1966 Dulles International Airport: Construction began in 1958 on Eero Saarinen's design for Dulles International Airport. The upward sweep of the roofline evokes a sense of flight.
18. RIPPLN_071130_133.JPG: Union Station, early twentieth century Union Station:After achieving world recognition for the Beaux-Arts classicism of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago architect Daniel Burnham designed Union Station in 1903 to serve as a "vestibule" to the capital city.
19. RIPPLN_071130_135.JPG: Old Post Office under construction during the Labor Day Parade on 1894 Old Post Office: The Romanesque Old Post Office was the first monumental building to arise in the once seedy and flood-prone area between Pennsylvania Avenue and the National Mall. The building is home to the Bells of Congress, the official bells of the United States Congress, which were a gift from Great Britain. The building's 270 foot-high observation deck offers some of the best views of the city. At the time of the Labor Day Parade in 1894, the building was still under construction.
20. RIPPLN_071130_139.JPG: Pension Office Building Pension Office Building: Montgomery C. Meigs of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers created several architectural monuments for the city, including the Pension Office Building in 1881. His red brick structures pose a striking contrast to the white masonry buildings erected before the Civil War. The Pension Office Building, now the National Building Museum, is noted for its soaring interior space and Casper Buberl's exterior terra-cotta frieze depicting the Civil War soldiers and sailors for whom the building was designed.
21. RIPPLN_071130_142.JPG: Early lithograph of the Smithsonian Castle, 1849 Smithsonian Castle: In a departure from Classicism, Robert Mills proposed a Norman style for the Smithsonian Building, and James Renwick's turreted design was accepted in 1846. This building established a precedent for the placement of cultural institutions -- rather than embassies, as L'Enfant had envisioned -- along the National Mall.
22. RIPPLN_071130_146.JPG: Southeast corner of Treasury Building facing 15th Street Treasury Building: The Ionic-styled Treasury Building, designed by Latrobe protege Robert Mills, replaced George Hadfield's earlier structure, which burned down in 1834. As architect of public buildings from 1836 to 1851, Mills established his imprint on the city with his signature Greek Revival style, and oversaw construction of many important buildings, including the Patent Office Building, which now houses the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
23. RIPPLN_071130_151.JPG: Daguerreotype of the U.S. Capitol, ca. 1846, by John Plumbe, Jr. Capitol: L'Enfant designated Jenkins Hill -- the highest point of the basin city -- as the ideal location for the legislative branch of government. The U.S. Capitol, designed in 1803, was rebuilt under the guidance of architect Benjamin Latrobe after the British burned it down during the War of 1812. Starting in 1851, the original wings were extended, and in 1865 work was completed on the cast-iron dome that came to serve as a symbol of unity for the nation's capital.
24. RIPPLN_071130_154.JPG: City Hall, ca. 1865. City Hall: City Hall, designed by George Hadfield in 1820, echoed the classical designs of "Latrobe's Washington." Although sited on a parcel reserved for a monumental building in the L'Enfant Plan, L'Enfant actually envisioned that municipal buildings would be located south of the U.S. Capitol, closer to the port and father from the federal buildings that were slated for the northwest quadrant.
25. RIPPLN_071130_163.JPG: Worthy of the Nation: Planning the Nation's Capital: Washington's remarkable openness is the legacy of Pierre Charles L'Enfant, the French engineer who planned the city in 1791. To distinguish America's capital from the old world capitals of Europe, L'Enfant designed a city of broad avenues and imposing public spaces. His goal was to create a plan for the federal city that would be worthy of the nation. While other towns and metropolitan centers in America have also been planned, nowhere in the country has a design of such great scope been so influential for so long a period of time. For the past 200 years, L'Enfant's vision and the great plans that followed, including the McMillan Plan of 1901, have survived largely intact. The National Capital Planning Commission -- the federal government's central planning agency -- strives to preserve and protect the accomplishments of the dreamers who proceeded us in shaping the capital city. Our mission is to serve as a principal steward of the extraordinary historical, cultural, and natural resources that have helped make Washington, DC a world-class city admired around the globe. To chronicle the story of our nation's capital, NCPC partnered with historian Dr. Antoinette Lee, photo archivist Peter Penczer, and the Johns Hopkins University Press to produce the 2006 edition of "Worthy of the Nation, Washington DC, from L'Enfant to the National Capital Planning Commission." Most of the images in this exhibit come from the book, "Worthy of the Nation," a definitive volume on the history of planning in the nation's capital. Please enjoy the exhibit and trace the unique history of Washington, DC. View historical photos, maps, and renderings from the recently released book. Examine the enduring influence of L'Enfant and the evolving challenges faced by planners throughout the decades. Let Washington's architecture, memorials, museums, and grand public spaces enchant you, as they do residents of the city and millions of people who travel near and far to visit America's capital.
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