District of Columbia Tourism and Sightseeing

Please click on the "in DEPTH" button to the right for additional information, including FLORA and FAUNA Lists for National Capital Park-East sites in the Anacostia River Watershed.

Although the first concept of Parkway design was envisioned by Pierre L'Enfant in his 18th century plan, the concept of a parkway in Washington, D.C. was not approved until 1902. At that time, Parkways were designed for use by bicyclists and horse-drawn carriages.

There are no tolls or fees for use on the parkway. There are no trucks allowed on the parkway.

The United States Park Police patrol the parkway.

Also near the entrance are monuments commemorating those units which fought at Fort Stevens: 25th New York Volunteer Cavalry Monument, 98th Pennsylvania Volunteer Monument, 122nd New York Volunteer Monument, and the 150th Ohio National Guard Monument.

Due to maintenance projects, tours of the home will not be available beginning on Monday, March 1, 2004, through Friday, March 12, 2004. Go to the "Facilities" link on the "Plan Your Visit" page for more information on closures.

The Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens is now a sponsor for the PARK SATELLITE PROGRAM. For a link to information about making your yard friendly for native plants and animals, click on the "in DEPTH" button.

Also, go to the "in DEPTH" page for information about the Kenilworth Park landfill Draft Remedial Investigation /Feasibility Study (RI/FS).

Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens constitutes some 700 acres and is part of Anacostia Park. The Park includes the "Gardens", Kenilworth Marsh, ballfields and recreational facilities. The origins of Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens lie not only in the 1791 L'Enfant Plan for the District of Columbia, but also the McMillan Plan of 1901 which specifically recommended extension of public parkland along both sides of the Anacostia River.

The Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens is the only National Park Service site devoted to the propagation and display of aquatic plants. The Gardens were begun as the hobby of Civil War veteran and operated for 56 years as a commercial water garden. In 1938, the Gardens were purchased by the Federal Government. It was at that time that the facility ceased operating as a commercial enterprise and became part of the National Park system.

The Lincoln Memorial was built to resemble a Greek temple. It has 36 Doric columns, one for each state at the time of Lincolns death. A sculpture by Daniel Chester French of a seated Lincoln is in the center of the memorial chamber.

Inscribed on the south wall of the monument is the Gettysburg Address. Above it is a mural painted by Jules Guerin depicting the angel of truth freeing a slave. Guerin also painted the unity of North and South mural on the north wall. Etched into the north wall below the mural is Lincolns second inaugural speech.

The Bethune Council House was Mary McLeod Bethune's last official Washington, DC residence and the first headquarters of the National Council of Negro Women. Mary McLeod Bethune founded Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, Florida and served as an advisor on African American affairs to four presidents. She was appointed Director of the Division of Negro Affairs of the National Youth Administration by President Roosevelt. She was the first African American woman to hold so high an office in the federal government. The site features the three story Victorian town house which was her home when she was in Washington, DC and housed the offices of the National Council of Negro Women and a carriage house in which the National Archives for Black Women's History is located.

These areas, along with hundreds of smaller parks, serve as settings for government buildings and the museums of the Smithsonian Institution. Each year NACC issues permits for thousands of special events and First Amendment activities on The National Mall, and hosts more than 10 million visitors who journey to Washington D.C. to find inspiration among the principle symbols of America's heritage.

The National Mall resources include the 2,000 American elms which line the Mall and the 3,000 internationally renowned Japanese cherry trees which grace the Tidal Basin. Gardens that are botanical showplaces display thousands of tulips, pansies and annuals in over 170 flower beds, and 35 ornamental pools and fountains range from the simple to the sublime. This impressive mingling of natural and cultural resources has made our Nation's Capital one of the most heavily visited and photographed places in the world.

FURTHER INFORMATIONAL PAGES WILL FOLLOW SOON.

Our countrys history abounds within the park. Visitors walk in the footsteps of Piscataway Indians, the Old Stone House attests to a time when Washington, D.C. was a new capital, Peirce Mill reminds us how a new technology aided the economic growth of the nation, and Civil War remnants divulge stories of unrest. Ultimately, the establishment of Rock Creek Park in 1890, ...for the benefit and enjoyment of the people of the United States served as an inspiration for the creation of future National Parks.

Rock Creek Park is also a place to play soccer, picnic, hike, bike and rollerblade, play tennis, fish, horseback ride, listen to a concert, or attend programs with a park ranger.

Although people come to the park for different reasons, they all have a common love for Rock Creek Park. The park fosters memories of the past while creating new memories for the future. You are encouraged to visit your national park, Rock Creek Park often, and to discover ways that you can help protect this special common ground for all who visit.