Franklin Square Park
Franklin Square is a park in northwest D.C., which is bounded by K Street to the north, 13th Street on the east, I Street on the south, and 14th Street on the west (MAP). The downtown park slopes uphill from I Street to K Street, and is partially terraced. Franklin Square Park also contains sufficient old growth trees to provide ample shade to visitors, a geometric system of concrete pathways for traversing the park in almost any direction, and a flagstone plaza with a large fountain in its middle.
The 4.79-acre park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is maintained by the National Park Service. And while it is often assumed that it was named after Benjamin Franklin, there are no records or definitive proof to establish this. However, Franklin Square is surrounded by a rich history, regardless of the origin of its name. Across 13th Street on the east side of the square is the historic Franklin School, a National Historic Landmark, which was the scene of Alexander Graham Bell’s first wireless message. On June 3, 1880, Bell sent a message over a beam of light to a window in a building at 1325 L Street using his newly invented Photophone. Also, Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross maintained a residence adjacent to the park at 1326 I Street, where she held the first official meeting of the relief organization in May of 1881.
Today the park is located in a lively and bustling area of downtown, and often hosts a nearly overflow crowd of employees taking a short break from their responsibilities, or enjoying a lunch obtained from one of the nearby eateries or the many food trucks that surround the park during the middle of the day. The eclectic crowd utilizing the park can also include anyone or anything, from tourists who have strayed off their usual path, to older people practicing tai chi, and even a service for the homeless and others by the Church of the Epiphany every Tuesday. There are also the many pigeons who will flock to anyone who purposefully, or sometimes unwillingly, feed them. The entertainment value of the park makes it a good destination for a bike ride, and an ideal location for a mid-day respite.
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The DC Bike Blogger 