Washington Circle
Washington Circle is a traffic circle in the Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C., United States. It is the intersection of 23rd Street, K Street, New Hampshire Avenue, and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., on the border of the Foggy Bottom and West End neighborhoods. The through lanes of K Street (which are U.S. Route 29) travel underneath the circle in a tunnel, while the service lanes intersect the circle.[1]
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[edit] History
Washington Circle became the first traffic circle in Washington, D.C., when Reservation 26 was enclosed and landscaped in 1856.[2]
A bronze equestrian statue, sculpted by Clark Mills and depicting George Washington riding his horse during the Battle of Princeton, was installed in the center of the circle on February 22, 1860, at a total cost of $60,000. The National Park Service now maintains Washington Circle's park, the public space surrounding Washington's statue.[1][2][3]
In 1862, streetcars tracks were laid around Washington Circle, but were not properly maintained during the turbulent years of the Civil War. Track improvements were made during the 1870s and the park was redesigned in 1885. To ease traffic congestion, Washington Circle was redesigned in 1932, followed by construction of the K Street underpass in 1961–1962.[2]
[edit] Neighborhood
The Foggy Bottom campus of The George Washington University (GWU) adjoins Washington Circle. After construction is completed, GWU's Square 54 complex will be located directly south of the circle, near The George Washington University Hospital. The closest Washington Metro station is Foggy Bottom–GWU.[4][5]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Bednar, Michael J. (2006). L'Enfant's Legacy: Public Open Spaces in Washington. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 185–192. ISBN 9780801883187.
- ^ a b c "District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites" (PDF). District of Columbia Office of Planning: Historic Preservation Office. (planning.dc.gov). September 1, 2009. http://www.planning.dc.gov/planning/frames.asp?doc=/planning/lib/planning/preservation/inventory/2009_alpha_version.pdf. Retrieved November 29, 2009.
- ^ "Statues, Monuments, and Memorials in National Capital Parks". National Park Service. (nps.gov). July 31, 2003. http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nace/adhia4.htm. Retrieved November 29, 2009.
- ^ Pearlstein, Steven (August 12, 2005). "Square 54, a New Site for an Ongoing Feud". The Washington Post (washingtonpost.com): pp. D01. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/11/AR2005081102018.html. Retrieved November 29, 2009.
- ^ Castro, Melissa (February 8, 2008). "Boston Properties signs lease for old George Washington University Hospital". Washington Business Journal (washington.bizjournals.com). http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2008/02/04/daily58.html. Retrieved November 29, 2009.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Washington Circle |
- ANC 2A, Washington Circle's Advisory Neighborhood Commission
Coordinates: 38°54′09″N 77°03′00″W / 38.9025°N 77.05°W
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