The Tidal Basin in Southwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

River Bottom to Parkland

National Mall and Memorial Parks

— National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —

River Bottom to Parkland Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), June 18, 2019

1. River Bottom to Parkland Marker

Inscription. Where you are standing was originally the bottom of the Potomac River. The shoreline roughly paralleled 15th Street, skirted around the Washington Monument which stood almost at the river's edge, and then followed what is now the current route of Constitution Avenue. In the 1880s, planners developed a strategy for reclaiming this area, which at low tide was nothing but mud flats. Dredging operations and seawall construction created the Tidal Basin and East and West Potomac parks. In 1897, the United States Congress designated this new section of the city as parkland "for the recreation and scenic pleasure of the people."

Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Parks & Recreational Areas • Roads & Vehicles • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1897.

Location. 38° 52.863′ N, 77° 2.446′ W. Marker is in Southwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in The Tidal Basin. It can be reached from Ohio Drive Southwest west of East Basin Drive Southwest, on the right when traveling

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north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1420 Ohio Drive Southwest, Washington DC 20418, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American Northeast,

in the Upper South,

in the Mid-Atlantic,

in the Tidewater,

and in the Chesapeake Bay Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Yoshino (within shouting distance of this marker); The Gift of Friendship (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Forgotten Founder (about 500 feet away); George Mason (about 500 feet away); The United Nations (about 700 feet away); Air Mail (about 800 feet away); "He Died in Harness" (approx. 0.2 miles away); Wartime President (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Southwest Washington.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Defender of Liberty (was about 600 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

More about this marker.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), June 18, 2019

2. River Bottom to Parkland Marker

[Captions:]
This Currier and Ives print shows the original Potomac shoreline. Note how close the Washington Monument is to the river.

This photograph, taken in 1892, shows the newly created Hains Point area. The edge of the Tidal Basin, seen in the lower right, was still under construction.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 18, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 407 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 18, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.