#Meridian hill park full

#Meridian hill park full

Meridian Hill, however, was to be a product of democracy, open to all people.Ĭonstruction was begun in 1914, but it was not until 1936 that Meridian Hill reached the full status of a formal park. Generally, gardens of this magnitude were reserved for aristocrats. The actual planting scheme was designed by New York landscape architects Vital, Brinckerhoff, and Geffert.

The stepped character of the park design was somewhat reminiscent of the former King Victor Emmanuel III's gardens. The plan conceived by Burnap and Peaslee was one that would depict an Italian garden, composing or using garden concepts from Italy. The plans presented were later revised by landscape architect Horace Peaslee under the watchful eye of the Fine Arts Commission of Washington, D.C. In 1914 the Department of the Interior hired landscape architect George Burnap to draw plans for the general development for a grand, formal park to be modeled after the Renaissance and Italian gardens that could be found in the world's great capital cities. In 1910, the grounds were purchased by the United States government and transferred to the stewardship of the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds. During the war, Union troops encamped there. Prior to the Civil War, the mansion grounds became a pleasure park for the area. At that time, the entire high ground surrounding the park was known as 'Meridian Hill.'ĭuring the 19th century the environs of Meridian Hill became host to Columbia College, precursor to George Washington University. It was to this mansion that John Quincy Adams moved when he left the White House in 1829. In 1819, John Porter erected a mansion on the grounds and called it 'Meridian Hill' because it was on the exact longitude of the original District of Columbia milestone marker, set down on Apat Jones Point, Virginia by Major Andrew Ellicott assisted by Benjamin Banneker, an African-American astronomer and mathematician. The park has had a long and varied history. Meridian Hill is served by the Columbia Heights Metro Station.Meridian Hill Park is officially part of the National Capital Parks Unit of the National Park System, and is administered by the superintendent of nearby Rock Creek Park. Boundaries include Chapin Street to the north U Street to the south, 13th Street to the east and 16th Street to the west. Meridian Hill Park, once known as “Malcolm X Park,” sits high on a hill, anchoring the neighborhood with its 12 acres of tiered lush greenery and fountains and statues. Resident cite a diverse mix of housing - tree-lined residential streets frame late 19th and 20th century row houses as well as newer high-rises and condo developments. Dubbed a community of “cultural convergence,” Meridian Hill combines different cultures and colorful history within its boundaries helping to contribute to Columbia Height’s ranking as the District’s most economically and racially diverse neighborhood. The area comprises the Meridian Hill Park on its western boundary as well as the bustling 14th Street and U Street Corridors. Meridian Hill is a dynamic neighborhood that is part of Columbia Heights in the northwest quadrant of Washington, D.