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Slanted Wayside Exhibit: 17th Street Wharf 472 words / Total Audio Description: 2 minutes, 37 seconds Site Information 121 words / 40 seconds This is an audio description of an interpretive sign titled Working Waterfront. The sign is divided into 2 parts. On the left is a graphic panel measuring 3 feet (1 meter) wide by 2 feet (0.5 meters) tall. On the right, a tactile map panel is 1 foot (0.3 meters) wide by 2 feet (0.5 meters) tall. An audio speaker with push buttons and two solar panels separates the graphic panel from the map. All parts are set within an angled black metal frame with two legs that raise the sign 3 feet (1 meter) off the ground. Beyond the sign is a 10-foot (3 meters) deep grass strip and then 17th Street NW. In the distance stands the Washington Monument. Exhibit Panel Content 302 words / 1 minute, 40 seconds The title reads Working Waterfront.A dramatic waterfront illustration shows the commotion of three large wooden ships docked at the 17th Street Wharf, each appearing to arrive from a different angle in the harbor. The ships have tall, dark masts, all with their white sails tied up and not in use. Piles of goods, stored in light bags, line the dock and the boats. In the background, billowing clouds of smoke rise from a boat’s chimney toward the cloudy blue sky. In the foreground, African American workers are shown on a smaller boat gesturing toward other dock workers on the ships. White text, located at the top left of the panel, reads: If you stood in this spot in the 1800s, you’d be looking out over the biggest dock in Washington, DC. The 17th Street Wharf was built in 1806 for $2,000. It remained the bustling heart of the city until 1902. You might see goods from all over the world, including sandstone to rebuild the White House in 1813. You might hear the shouts of hundreds of dockworkers, many of them enslaved people until the end of the Civil War in 1865. The 17th Street Wharf reached its largest size in 1881, when it was 1,200 feet long and 150 feet wide. That’s about the size of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool. An illustration caption in white text reads: The 17th Street Wharf was so enormous that it supported its own floating restaurant. General H.G. Wright, Army Chief of Engineers, wrote in 1881 about a lunchroom on the wharf operated by an African American man named Henry Hill. In the bottom right-hand corner of the panel, a tan circle lined in black with dark text reads: Can you imagine the National Mall as a bustling port, full of ships and cargo? Tactile Map 49 words / 16 seconds The title reads 17th Street Wharf.A tactile map to the right of the panel and audio description buttons outlines the location of the 17th Street Wharf. A legend with raised letters below the map contains text that reads: You Are Here North White House Washington Monument Water Grass [End of description.] |
Last updated: February 28, 2025