Later history of Columbia Island Columbia Island (District of Columbia)

1 later history of columbia island

1.1 navy-merchant marine memorial
1.2 lady bird johnson park
1.3 lyndon baines johnson memorial grove

later history of columbia island

road network on , around columbia island in 1945. note existence of racetrack feature on island, , 4 bridges connecting virginia.

with filling operations on columbia island suspended in 1932, island underwent natural process of settling. 1941, settling had damaged abutments of boundary channel bridge, , bureau of public roads placed steel struts under each abutment in april shore them up.

bridge work on columbia island continued in 1940s. in january 1942, united states department of defense realized rapid expansion of pentagon workforce due entry of united states world war ii put significant strain on local road networks. new arterial, army-navy boulevard (now called army-navy drive) under construction connect pentagon city , points south pentagon. road continued northwest past pentagon columbia island, run center of island , connect arlington memorial bridge. bridge carrying army-navy boulevard on boundary channel approved in january 1942. in 1948, northwesterly bridge connecting columbia island lee boulevard (now arlington boulevard) rebuilt.

another bridge linking columbia island , virginia proposed in 1958. @ time, 1 possible route theodore roosevelt bridge south of little island (the southern tip of theodore roosevelt island had become detached main island due erosion). district of columbia officials asked permission in january 1958 build small approach bridge roosevelt span on boundary channel, cfa refused month later. june 1958, bridge s location had shifted north southern end of theodore roosevelt island, making bridge on boundary channel moot.

in 1958, northwestern bridge linking columbia island arlington boulevard (the former lee boulevard) widened 6 lanes four. northern bridge carrying george washington memorial parkway on boundary channel realigned in late 1962 part of larger road realignment allowing arlington boulevard link new theodore roosevelt bridge. traffic light, 1 anywhere on parkway, installed control traffic during realignment process. new bridge finished , light removed in september 1964.

a year later, in september 1965, new bridge west of south washington boulevard bridge opened. george washington memorial parkway expanding north of old terminus @ arlington memorial bridge, necessitated moving parkway s southbound lanes onto virginia shoreline , off northern part of columbia island. new bridge connected new parkway alignment old.

during latter part of 1960s , part of 1970s, national park service relandscaped columbia island extensively. part of effort consisted of construction of 300-foot (91 m) footbridge on boundary channel connect new, 30-car parking lot in north pentagon parking area columbia island. cost of footbridge , parking lot $500,000.

in spring 1987, national park service repaved south washington boulevard bridge columbia island, , began planning reconstruct bridge 1991.

reconstruction of humpback bridge began in january 2008. bridge, had not been renovated since construction, carried 75,000 vehicles day – far more designed for. improvements included widening bridge, adding balustrades separate sidewalks vehicular traffic lanes, , building underpass through columbia island side landing allow pedestrians , cyclists pass through bridge rather crossing parkway. reconstruction removed notorious hump in middle of bridge. however, masonry facing of bridge retained protect historic character of bridge. bridge reconstruction complete in 2011, , bike/pedestrian underpass opened in november. underpass connected columbia island marina , lbj memorial grove mt. vernon trail.

a children s garden constructed on columbia island in spring 2008.

the navy-merchant marine memorial

the navy-merchant marine memorial on columbia island.

veterans of united states navy , united states merchant marine had long argued there no memorial commemorating service anywhere in washington, d.c. congress rectified in 1920s, , memorial designed 1922. however, fund-raising memorial took far longer expected. ground on columbia island memorial broken secretary of navy charles francis adams, secretary of treasury andrew w. mellon, marine corps major general ben h. fuller, coast guard commandant rear admiral frederick c. billard, , assistant secretary of commerce david sinton ingalls on december 2, 1930.

work on memorial stopped 3 years. statue emplaced in 1934. however, lack of funds meant instead of wavy green granite base, statue stood atop concrete plinth. in may 1934, commission overseeing memorial s construction asked works progress administration $100,000 grant complete granite steps. no funds forthcoming. finally, funding memorial s completion began moving through congress. congressional support, works progress administration gave $39,000 finish memorial in 1939. included adding wavy green granite steps, creating concrete plaza around memorial, installing 2 flagstone walks lead memorial, , landscaping area.

lady bird johnson park

columbia island renamed lady bird johnson park united states department of interior on november 12, 1968. renaming honored lady bird johnson, then–first lady (november 22, 1963 – january 20, 1969), sponsored nationwide, urban-beautification campaign between 1964 , 1968. when island renamed, received extensive new plantings. more 1 million daffodils , 2,700 dogwood trees planted on park between 1965 , 1968. these plants paid national park service, society more beautiful national capital, , 1965 inaugural committee.

lyndon baines johnson memorial grove

former president lyndon b. johnson died on january 22, 1973. after, johnson s admirers proposed constructing statue in washington, d.c., in memory, concern defaced led rejection of idea. brooke astor , laurence vanderbilt suggested grove of trees instead, , planning $2 million grove began in spring 1973. lady bird johnson park chosen site of grove due johnson s love of park while president. on december 28, 1973, congress authorized memorial grove dedicated johnson placement on columbia island.

by february 1975, $1.3 million memorial grove had been raised. $15 silver medal , $350 gold medal designed in 1975 , sold raise $150,000. plans grove largely complete may 1975. landscape architect meade palmer designed grove, included contemplative meadow , small granite plaza among trees. grove covered 15 acres (61,000 m), , planted white pine, dogwood trees, , flowering shrubs , bushes. granite plaza intended center of grove, on 45-short-ton (41 t), 19-foot (5.8 m) high pink granite orthostat (or standing stone ) quarried in texas placed. stone carver harold vogel worked exterior of stone give dynamic, rough-hewn reminiscent of johnson s personality. department of geological sciences @ university of texas estimated rock s age @ billion years. flagstone walkway winding through grove included in design. 4 quotes johnson s public speeches, selected lady bird johnson, carved flagstones placed around orthostat. $600,000 still needed in may 1975 complete memorial.

the orthostat delivered site in august 1974, , emplaced on august 13, 1975. in december 1975, congress authorized $1 million complete memorial grove , establish maintenance fund.

the memorial dedicated on april 6, 1976.