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George Washington Memorial Parkway
Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C.
LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Mount Vernon Memorial Highway's designers went to great lengths to produce an attractive, naturalistic parkway landscape. For most of its length, the parkway was built on an entirely new alignment through largely undeveloped terrain. The roadway followed the landscape's natural contours, winding in gentle curves through attractive woodlands and along the banks of the Potomac River.
Parkway designers took advantage of the region's natural beauty to produce a richly varied landscape. Towering hardwood forests alternate with broad grassy areas accented with clumps of eastern red cedar and occasional dogwoods. Existing forests were selectively cut to improve growth and provide sweeping vistas. Intimate woodland scenes give way to extensive views over the Potomac River. Subtle curves were added to direct the motorist's vision and spare attractive stands of older trees. North of Alexandria, the parkway's memorial intent was reinforced by its alignment with the Washington Monument. The landscape near Memorial Bridge was left open to provide an impressive panorama of Washington's distinctive skyline.
Woodland Valley Overlook, 1930 & 1932 (NARA) |
Woodland Valley Overlook, 1930 & 1932 (NARA) |
Rustic features, Belle Haven, 1932 (NARA) |
Guard rails and bus shelters were designed in rustic fashion to harmonize with the parkway landscape. Ornate metal lamp posts were used nearer Washington for a more formal appearance. The wood light poles were taken down years ago, but several original metal fixtures remain.
Colonial-style signs and concession buildings contributed to the parkway's historical character, Patriotic groups placed a number of memorial trees and tablets along the parkway and at the Mount Vernon terminus, where a bronze tablet commemorates the parkway's completion.
Transplanting eastern red cedar, 1930 (NARA) |
Over 250,000 trees and shrubs were planted between 1929 and 1932 alone. Native species predominated and planting plans were designed for a natural appearance, so that motorists could not tell where the parkway ended and the surrounding woodlands began.
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