Go Home Already: Shouts and Murmurs
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Morning Roundup: Second Helpings Edition
Fire at 17th and L NW Forces Evacuations
We liked the sharpness and vivid colors of the grass and gravel in the shot by allyzay — it feels like a nice, cool day. And if you view the large size, it looks like a blue person is peering over the railing on the right, though it's really just a sculpture. EXIF.
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It's photos like this one that make me wonder why I haven't been to this park yet. It looks so beautiful.
The composition of this photo makes the park look much more well-kept than I recall it. First, the fountain is actually on and the ornamental grasses are healthy?!?! Are the lotuses or water lilys in bloom? No sign of the broken and defaced statues, crumbling walls, or the overgrown bushes used for hook-ups...
Can it be that NPS is stepping up?
Malcolm X Park is fantastic, Hy Hy. You should definitely check it out. Unfortunately the upper level is undergoing some pretty serious construction work at the moment, but the rest is still great to hang out in.
Hi guys, thank you for posting my photo, this was a really lovely surprise. I can't speak to the prior condition of the park--I haven't been in DC that long, and only really have been going up there to explore the park this year. It is really very nice though. The fountains were off until fairly recently (I'm assuming this was a winter thing) but the water is back on and the grounds are beautiful (didn't notice any lilys in bloom though!). There's a really great view from the top of the "bridge" in that picture as well. It's kind of becoming one of my favorite spots in the city.
Hi guys, thank you for posting my photo, this was a really lovely surprise. If you haven't been to the park, I highly recommend going. I haven't seen any water lilys, but the fountains are all going full-force and it's a really lovely park, good place for a picnic or just hanging out. It's becoming one of my favorite places in DC.
(sorry if a variant of this is posted twice, the first time my computer crashed midway through submitting)
The person peering over the balcony from the left, however, is likely cruising.
Glad to see the fountains back on again.
I thought the Meridian was 16th Street itself (as it ran up from the White House, which was to be set as the meridian for US maps)?
Androoo - It looks like there are two people on the left
Yeah I am really glad I decided to rent from my building, its right next door.
And the statue, poor Joan of Arc, someone stole her sword.
Any word on what the construction is for? I heard they are installing a police "substation" whatever that is, possibly a dispatch or surveillence relay point.
Where's imgoph the cartographer when you need him?? Surely he can set the record straight.
I do know that the zero milestone in front of the White House on the Ellipse was supposed to be equivalent to the golden milestone in Rome and mark the point from which all road distances from the capital would be measured. Two army convoys set out across the country on two different interstate highways from that point in 1919 and 1920. Dwight D. Eisenhower was involved in the first one. Distances aren't measured from that point but it's an interesting little monument anyway. If you want to read more about it check out the link:
www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/zero.htm
Great shot by the way. I'm ashamed to say that I've been to the Parks and People headquarters right next to the park but never actually walked through the park itself. I'll definitely have to go check it out.
Where's imgoph the cartographer when you need him?? Surely he can set the record straight.
I do know that the zero milestone in front of the White House on the Ellipse was supposed to be equivalent to the golden milestone in Rome and mark the point from which all road distances from the capital would be measured. Two army convoys set out across the country on two different interstate highways from that point in 1919 and 1920. Dwight D. Eisenhower was involved in the first one. Distances aren't measured from that point but it's an interesting little monument anyway. If you want to read more about it check out the link:
www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/zero.htm
Great shot by the way. I'm ashamed to say that I've been to the Parks and People headquarters right next to the park but never actually walked through the park itself. I'll definitely have to go check it out.
chaesar - someone posted this question on the columbia heights listserv a while ago. the answer:
The park is undergoing substantial continuing capital improvements under the management of the Denver Service Center of the National Park Service. The work on the Upper Esplanade includes new irrigation and drainage and a restored pavilion that will house restrooms and a park/police contact station. Also, the stage platform has recently been repaired. Finally, there are ongoing volunteer efforts to help NPS maintain and improve the park.
How could army convoys have set off on interstate highways if the interstate highway system wasn't built until the years after WWII?
Moose is right. I'll fix that.
Excuse me, they weren't "interstate highways" they were highways that went across the country through various states that were adjacent to each other thus allowing the highway to go interstate. Sorry I used incorrect terminology. Jeez.
(And I didn't mean to double post, it came up with a remote server error the first time.)
Restrooms? A Substation? Restored pavilion?
Given the park's small size, these additions take up what...a 10-25% of the land?
Shouldnt a park be used for outdoor activities? The construction will remove the only 2 fields in the park. And for what?
Who do you know travel miles to go to this park? I mean, don't most visitors live close enough to go home and pee?
Restrooms? A Substation? Restored pavilion?
Given the park's small size, these additions take up what...a 10-25% of the land?
Shouldnt a park be used for outdoor activities? The construction will remove the only 2 fields in the park. And for what?
Who do you know travel miles to go to this park? I mean, don't most visitors live close enough to go home and pee?
Haha-
There's a pavilion already there. It's just in disrepair, and set off to the side of the upper esplenade on the east side. That's what they're restoring, and I assume the restrooms and the police contact station will be adjacent to or a part of the restored pavilion. The two fields, as I understand it, are closed off for the installation of the new irrigation/drainage system, not because they're building structures on them.
Thanks for info. That plan makes more sense. I never knew the "concrete" skeleton once housed something.
There are also some very scary restrooms set into the retaining wall that divides the upper and lower parts of the park. I always assumed they had been closed because of illicit activities and/or vandalism.
I'll give any new restrooms in this park about 1 hour before they get trashed.
There are also some very scary restrooms set into the retaining wall that divides the upper and lower parts of the park. I always assumed they had been closed because of illicit activities and/or vandalism.
I'll give any new restrooms in this park about 1 hour before they get trashed.
My fav park in DC.
I hope the Nigerian pick-up soccer games and the neo-hippie/african drum circle/jam can stay. Despite my critisim of how the park has been maintained for years, I do think it's a jewel on many levels.
I want my child to see see all the best of it, including the water lilies/lotuses in bloom.
God, why are some of these comments so whiny and negative? Yes, they're tearing up the field to install restrooms and a police station in the middle of the park, because after years of slowly restoring the park, they decided to go crazy and just mess it all up.
Actually, the park does look damn good in many spots, and no, it's not just the composition of this picture. Last year, the main fountains looked this healthy and the accompanying vegetation was well maintained. If I may be so bold, the park is one of the most stunning urban parks of its size that I have seen in this country, and I can only imagine what it will look like when the renovations are completed. A true DC gem. It makes you appreciate the boldness and design-savvy of DC's planners from earlier in the city's history.