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Arlington Memorial Bridge

 
 
Columbia Encyclopedia: Arlington Memorial Bridge
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Arlington Memorial Bridge, granite and concrete bridge across the Potomac River connecting the Lincoln Monument in Washington, D.C., with Arlington National Cemetery, N Va.; built 1926-32.

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Arlington Memorial Bridge
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Memorial Bridge with the Arlington National Cemetery and Arlington House in the background
Location: Potomac River
Washington, D.C.
Coordinates: 38°53′12″N 77°3′39″W / 38.88667°N 77.06083°W / 38.88667; -77.06083
Built/Founded: 1932
Architect: McKim, Mead, and White
Architectural style(s): Neoclassical
Central bascule
Arch bridge
Governing body: National Park Service
Added to NRHP: April 4, 1980[1]
NRHP Reference#: 80000346[2]

Arlington Memorial Bridge connects Columbia Island with the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. across the Potomac River. The eastern end of the bridge marks the western edge of the National Mall. The western end continues onto the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.[1][3]

On April 4, 1980, the Arlington Memorial Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places.[1]

Contents

History

Construction of the Arlington Memorial Bridge was authorized by Congress on February 24, 1925, and it formally opened on January 16, 1932. The dedication ceremony was headed by President Herbert Hoover. Designed by architectural firm McKim, Mead, and White,[4] the neoclassical bridge is 2,163 feet (659 m) long.[5]

Although the Arlington Memorial Bridge was part of the 1901 McMillan Commission's plan for restoring Pierre Charles L’Enfant's original plan for the capital, two decades passed before construction was initiated.[1] President Warren G. Harding was caught in a three-hour traffic jam while on his way to dedicate the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, because the previous wooden bridge could not handle the traffic. The ensuing turmoil led to appropriation for the bridge construction.[6][3]

The bridge was built between 1929 and 1932. When it opened, trolley service from Mount Vernon to downtown Washington (via the 14th Street Bridge) ceased.

Architecture

Statues at the eastern entrance to the Arlington Memorial Bridge

The eastern entrance to the Arlington Memorial Bridge features The Arts of War sculptures, Sacrifice and Valor, which were completed by Leo Friedlander in 1951.[1][5] On the pylons of each pier of the bridge are large circular discs with eagles and fasces designed by sculptor Carl Paul Jennewein.[4][3]

The closest Metro station to the bridge is Arlington Cemetery. The bridge connects, both literally and symbolically, the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House, the former home of Civil War General Robert E. Lee. This placement was done intentionally to represent the reunification of the North and the South.[1][3]

At the western terminus on Columbia Island, the Arlington Memorial Bridge and its connecting roadways connect with the George Washington Parkway, State Route 27, and State Route 110. At the eastern terminus, the bridge and its connecting roadways connect with Constitution Avenue, Independence Avenue, the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway, and the District of Columbia segment of Interstate 66.

A peculiarity of the traffic circle at the western terminus is that traffic already in the circle must yield to traffic entering the circle — the opposite of the standard rule. During morning rush hour, a portion of the traffic circle is closed to prevent mergers that would otherwise tie up rush hour traffic.

The center portion of the bridge is a metal draw span,[4] intended to allow large vessels to pass upriver to Georgetown. However, with the construction of the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge immediately upstream, which has no such provision, the draw mechanism has been abandoned.

Panorama of Arlington Memorial Bridge

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "District of Columbia - Inventory of Historic Sites". Government of the District of Columbia. September 1, 2004. http://www.planning.dc.gov/planning/frames.asp?doc=/planning/lib/planning/preservation/hp_inventory/inventory_narrative_sep_2004.pdf. Retrieved July 16, 2009. 
  2. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009. http://www.nr.nps.gov/. Retrieved July 16, 2009. 
  3. ^ a b c d "Memorial Bridge". National Park Service. http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/wash/dc69.htm. Retrieved July 16, 2009. 
  4. ^ a b c Scott, Pamela; Lee, Antoinette J. (1993). "The Mall". Buildings of the District of Columbia. New York City: Oxford University Press. pp. 104–105. ISBN 0-19-509389-5. 
  5. ^ a b "Arlington Memorial Bridge". National Park Service. July 7, 1998. http://www.nps.gov/archive/gwmp/memorial_bridge.htm. Retrieved July 16, 2009. 
  6. ^ Goode, James M. (1974). The Outdoor Sculpture of Washington, D.C.: A Comprehensive Historical Guide. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. pp. 193. ISBN 0874741491. 

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