RECLAIMING THE VALLEY

Funding problems delayed the parkway's development for many years. By the mid-1920s most of the parkway land had been purchased, but only a bridle path led from the Mall to Rock Creek Park, and little landscape reclamation work had been accomplished. Depression relief programs provided money to complete the project in the 1930s.

Tremendous amounts of earth and rubbish were removed from the valley between M and P streets. The slopes of the valley were carefully sculpted and planted to resemble natural conditions. Above P Street, the narrow, twisting roadway was designed to fit into the constricted valley with minimal disruption of the existing landscape. Between Dumbarton Bridge and Massachusetts Avenue, the two lanes of traffic were separated to follow the natural terrain and preserve a number of attractive large trees. Regularly spaced rows of trees gave the Potomac waterfront section a more open, formal appearance.

Excavations Between M and P Streets, 1933 (DCL)

By 1932 the parkway was open from Connecticut Avenue to P Street and from K Street to West Potomac Park. The last link of the parkway to be finished was the bridge over Rock Creek at P Street. This was completed on June 4, 1936, enabling motorists to drive from the Lincoln Memorial to Maryland without leaving an attractive tree-lined setting.

The Washington Evening Star rejoiced, "Nowhere else in the world is there a drive of such length and beauty of scenery." The Washington Post called the parkway "one of the most magnificent drives in the world," and proclaimed, "More than ever, Washington will be entitled to the distinction of being 'a city of parks.'"

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