Washington on Foot, Fifth Edition: 24 Walking Tours and Maps of Washington, DC, Old Town Alexandria, and Takoma Park

358 Pages·2012·8.49 MB·English

by  John J. Protopappas

Fifth edition © 2012 by the Smithsonian Institution
First edition © 1976, 1977
Second, third, and fourth editions © 1980, 1984, 1992, 2004
All rights reserved Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Washington on Foot : 24
walking tours and maps of Washington, DC, Old Town Alexandria, and Takoma Park / edited by
John J. Protopappas and Judith Meany. — 5th ed.
p. cm.
“Published in association with National Capital Area Chapter, American Planning
Association.”
1. Walking–Washington (D.C.)—Guidebooks. 2. Walking—Virginia—Alexandria—
Guidebooks. 3. Walking— Maryland—Takoma Park–Guidebooks. 4. Washington (D.C.)— Tours.
5. Takoma Park (Md.)—Tours. 6. Alexandria (Va.)— Tours. I. Protopappas, John J. (John
Joseph), 1946– II. Meany, Judith. III. American Planning Association. National Capital Area
Chapter.
F192.3.W335 2012
917.5304’42—dc23
2011047615
eISBN: 978-1-58834321-5
British Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data available For permission to reproduce any of the
maps and illustrations, correspond directly with the volume editors. Smithsonian Books does not
retain reproduction rights for these illustrations individually or maintain a file of addresses for
illustration purposes.
v3.1
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Map of Tour Areas
About Washington on Foot
Washington, DC
Old Town Alexandria
Takoma Park
How to Use This Guide
Taking the Right Bus
Using the Metro
On Not Getting Lost on Washington Streets
L’Enfant’s City
1 Capitol Hill—West
2 Capitol Hill—East
3 The Mall—East
4 The Mall—West
5 Independence Avenue and L’Enfant Plaza
6 Southwest
7 Foggy Bottom
8 White House
9 Federal Triangle
10 Downtown—West
11 Downtown—East
12 16th Street/Meridian Hill
13 Dupont Circle
14 Thomas Circle and 14th Street Environs
North of Downtown
15 Kalorama
16 Adams Morgan
17 Woodley Park and the National Zoological Park
18 Cleveland Park and Washington National Cathedral
Other Areas in Washington
19 LeDroit Park
20 Old Anacostia
21 Georgetown—West and Waterfront
22 Georgetown—East
Nearby Historic Suburban Areas
23 Old Town Alexandria, Virginia
24 Takoma Park, Maryland
About the Authors and Contributors
Tour Access
1/Capitol Hill—West 2/Capitol Hill—East 3/ The Mall—East
4/The Mall—West
5/Independence Avenue and L’Enfant Plaza 6/Southwest
7/Foggy bottom
8/White House
9/Federal Triangle 10/Downtown—West of 9th Street 11/Downtown—
East
12/16th Street/Meridian Hill 13/Dupont Circle
14/ Thomas Circle and 14th Street Environs 15/Kalorama
16/Adams-Morgan
17/Woodley Park and National Zoo 18/Cleveland Park and Washington
Cathedral 19/LeDoroit Park
20/Old Anacostia
21/Georgetown—West and Waterfron 22/Georgetown—East 23/Old
Town Alexandra, Virginia 24/ Takoma Park, Maryland
About Washington on Foot
Judith Meany
There are many ways to see cities, but for anyone desiring a sense of
the history and the character of an urban place, the city is best seen on
foot. A mosaic on a garden wall, the framed view of a church steeple
from a narrow street, or the gleam of stained glass above a doorway—
these are just a few of the visual rewards of a walking tour.
Washington on Foot is a guide to the neighborhoods as well as the
monuments of the nation’s capital. Twenty-four walking tours will
steer you through the preserved colonial and federal quarters, the vital
commercial districts, the distinguished residential neighborhoods, and
the revitalized urban-renewal areas, as well as the renowned
memorials, public buildings, and museums of Washington. Two other
tours will escort you through the 18th-century setting of Old Town
Alexandria, Virginia, and Takoma Park, Maryland.
Originally published in 1976 for the National Planning Conference
and updated periodically, Washington on Foot is used by thousands of
visitors and residents interested in a close-up look at the historical,
cultural, and architectural aspects of the capital. Over the past 27
years, more than two dozen volunteers, including urban planners,
architectural historians, and other urban professionals, have
contributed to this publication; names of original authors and current
updaters are provided at the introduction to each tour. More
information about contributors can be found on this page.
Washington on Foot is intended to serve the public as a guide to
many of the significant features of the District of Columbia, Old Town
Alexandria, Virginia, and Takoma Park, Maryland. The tours are
designed for use by both pedestrians and bicyclists.
The Co-editors
John J. Protopappas is a principal with the J Street Companies, a major
land development company in the Washington metropolitan area.
Over the past 35 years he has practiced transportation and land-use
planning in the United States and in Europe. He has been a guest
lecturer on urban planning at the Catholic University of America and
the University of Maryland. He has written for professional journals
and was co-editor of the 1980 and 1992 editions of Washington on
Foot. He is also a decorated veteran of the Vietnam conflict. Mr.
Protopappas received a bachelor’s degree from Niagara University and
a master’s degree from the Catholic University of America.
Judith Meany, Ph.D., FAICP, is professor of practice in the School of
Architecture and Planning at the Catholic University of America,
where she created and directs the M. Arch. graduate program with a
real estate development concentration. In addition, as an independent
urban planner and real estate developer, she focuses on urban infill
projects. Her most recent development project was a New York loft
style residential condominium in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland.
She advises real estate developers and financial institutions, and she
consults on land acquisition and disposition, environmental review,
highest-and best-use development, infrastructure requirements, and
financing. She has extensive experience in real estate acquisition. She
received her master’s degree in city and regional planning from the
Catholic University of America and her Ph.D. from the University of
Maryland. She is an active member of the Washington, DC, chapters of
the Urban Land Institute and the American Planning Association.
About the NCAC-APA
The National Capital Area Chapter (NCAC) of the American Planning
Association (APA) is one of the oldest and largest chapters of the
30,000-member national organization. The chapter has more than 500
members in the District of Columbia and in Prince George’s and
Montgomery Counties, Maryland.
APA is the major organization in the country representing the
interests of planning and planners. It was formed in 1978 by the
merger of the American Institute of Planners and the American Society
of Planning Officials. Members include practicing planners, local
officials, architects, engineers, students, educators, and others
interested in developing and maintaining well-planned urban and
rural communities.
APA’s member interests are represented through 44 chapters and 18
divisions concerned with areas of specialized practice. The various
disciplines range from transportation and energy planning to law and
environmental planning. For more information, contact APA’s
Washington, DC, office at 1776 Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20036, telephone (202) 872-0611 or
www.planning.org. A subunit of APA, the American Institute of
Certified Planners (AICP) fosters the professional development of APA
members. It administers the certification exam for planners. AICP also
is concerned with planning education and standards of planning
practice.
Washington, DC
Washington, DC, has matured as a major national and international
city. It is a city of considerable beauty and elegance. During its 220
years of history, it has developed into a center of international
diplomacy and influence. Its numerous monuments are major tourist
attractions. The White House, the Capitol, the Lincoln and Jefferson
Memorials, and the Washington Monument are the nation’s unique
symbols of American democracy.
Washington is no longer thought of as a small town, even though its
10-mile-square size and more than half a million residents do not
place it among those cities that are mentioned when one refers to
large cities in the United States. The city’s sphere of influence extends
far beyond its geographic size and population. Washington is a capital
city, a dynamic and vibrant metropolis that retains its small-town
charm. The human scale of its buildings adds to the city’s ambience.
Washington was the center and driving force of a sophisticated
metropolitan region of over 4.7 million people in 2003, according to
the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (WCOG). By the
year 2011, this number was expected to increase to over 5 million,
and jobs were projected to increase from 2.58 million in 2002 to over
3 million in 2011. According to WCOG, much of this new growth in
population and employment is occurring in the suburbs surrounding