The National Mall in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
White House on the Waterfront
National Mall and Memorial Parks, Lincoln Memorial
| | National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior | |
For most of human history, the place where you're standing was under water. Anacostan people harvested fish and shellfish from a marshy creek that ran here for thousands of years. In the 1830s, President John Quincy Adams swam in Tiber Creek, which ran past the south lawn of the White House. In the early 1800s, Washington officials turned the natural waterway into the Washington City Canal. When canals were replaced by railroads, the canal was converted into a sewer.
What changes have you seen in the landscape around you?
[Caption:]
This 2009 painting by Peter Waddell, Tiber Cree: The Bathers, shows President John Quincy Adams, his son, and a servant boating on Tiber Creek. On this particular trip, the boat was leaky. The president and his party abandoned ship and swam ashore.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Government & Politics • Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #06 John Quincy Adams series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 2009.
Location. 38° 53.517′ N, 77° 2.351′
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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 the North Atlantic Region, 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: Shifting Foundations (within shouting distance of this marker); Bulfinch Gate House (within shouting distance of this marker); Working Waterfront (within shouting distance of this marker); Silent Witness (within shouting distance of this marker); Let's Ride (within shouting distance of this marker); Lock Keepers House (within shouting distance of this marker); The Washington City Canal (within shouting distance of this marker); Dry Run (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Northwest Washington.
Another marker is no longer nearby. The Canal Connection (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Credits. This page was last revised on December 1, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 1, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 82 times since then and 51 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 1, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
