Columbia Island in Southwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Building a Beautiful Bridge
George Washington Memorial Parkway
— National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —
Completed in 1932, Arlington Memorial Bridge was built in a neoclassical style and extended Pierre L'Enfant's (1754-1825) original plans for the District of Columbia. The bridge was designed by the prominent architectural firm of McKim, Mead and White at a time when the City Beautiful movement had generated great interest in fulfilling unrealized aspects of L'Enfant's designs.
The bridge is more than 2,000 feet long and has nine broad arches over the Potomac River with a steel bascule draw span forming the center arch. The bridge's low profile, traditional architecture, and hidden draw span, all work to entice people to view the surrounding sites and memorials.
Arlington Bridge is considered Washington's most beautiful bridge. With stunning vistas of the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House, the bridge serves as a picturesque ceremonial entrance to Washington, DC and Arlington National Cemetery.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Bridges & Viaducts. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1928.
Location. 38° 53.101′ N, 77° 3.464′ W. Marker is in Southwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. An Engineering Marvel (here, next to this marker); A Bridge for the Future (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Rehabilitating a National Treasure (approx. 0.2 miles away); A Symbol of Reconciliation (approx. 0.2 miles away); A Symbol of Union (approx. ¼ mile away in Virginia); Bridge to Peace (approx. 0.3 miles away in Virginia); Avenue of Heroes (approx. 0.3 miles away in Virginia); a different marker also named Bridge to Peace (approx. 0.3 miles away in Virginia). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Southwest Washington.
More about this marker. [Captions:]
Arlington Memorial Bridge being constructed in May, 1928. (Library of Congress)
These are two conceptual drawings produced for the proposed Arlington Memorial Bridge. However, after the creation of the Lincoln Memorial, the government looked for a lower profile design to avoid overshadowing the Lincoln Memorial. (Library of Congress)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 31, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 137 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 31, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
