Meridian Hill Park
On this bike ride I went to one of my favorite parks in D.C. In a city replete with over a hundred large National Parks and smaller municipal parks from which to choose, Meridian Hill Park stands out. I originally discovered it by happenstance when I was riding with no destination in mind. It has since become a favorite destination.
Meridian Hill Park is located in northwest D.C.’s Columbia Heights neighborhood, on land bordered by 15th, 16th, W, and Euclid Streets (MAP). Prior to becoming a park, the land had a storied history. It was used as a geographic marker by President Thomas Jefferson as part of establishing a longitudinal meridian for the city and the nation which was used at that time. Later the land was part of the grounds of a mansion built by a naval hero of the War of 1812. It was also used for a Union Army encampment during the Civil War. It was even a proposed site at the beginning of the 20th century for the construction of a Presidential mansion to replace The White House. When that did not get approved, a plan to have the site be used for the planned Lincoln Memorial was submitted.
Finally in 1910, the Federal government purchased the land and, by an Act of Congress, established Meridian Hill Park. Construction began in 1912 based on a design modelled after the grand urban parks found in many major European cities at that time. The formal, 12-acre landscaped grounds include unique artwork such as a marble sculpture entitled Serenity, a Presidential Memorial to James Buchanan, a memorial statue of Joan of Arc, a statue entitled Dante Alighieri, and an enormous cascading fountain. The park is surrounded by concrete aggregate architecture which was based on an Italian aristocrat’s private residence. In 1994 the park was designated a National Historic Landmark. It is maintained by the National Park Service as part of Rock Creek Park, but is not contiguous with the main part of that park.
The central feature of the park is the thirteen basin cascading waterfall fountain in the lower-level formal garden. The fountain includes an Italian Renaissance-style terraced fountain in the lower half, and gardens in a French Baroque style in the upper half. It is designed with a recirculating water system which, through an elaborate series of pumps, supplies water to two large circular fountains on the upper level, and the cascade found on the lower. It is the largest cascading fountain in North America.
After falling into disrepair and decay in the 1970’s, the park enjoyed a resurgence thanks to the a group of community organizations which formed the “Friends of Meridian Hill” partnership. After extensive renovations and restoration, the park now hosts a variety of community arts and educational programs, twilight concerts, and on Sunday afternoons during warm weather, people gather in the upper park to dance and participate in a popular Drum Circle, which regularly attracts both enthusiastic dancers and professional drummers.
Whether or not you become a member of the formal partnership by the same name, one visit to this park and you’ll more than likely want to consider yourself a “friend” of Meridian Hill too.
[Click on the thumbnails above to view the full size photos]
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