Photographs of the Bridges
Rock Creek Parkway Bridges, Washington, DC
Rock Creek cuts neatly from north to south through the center of Washington, DC. North of the National Zoo to the Maryland boundary, the creek is paralleled by Beach Drive, and is crossed by a number of short, low-profile road bridges constructed in the 1950s, and pedestrian hiking bridges mostly constructed in the 1930s. In contrast, the area south of the zoo to the Potomac River is paralleled by the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway, and is crossed by many high-profile concrete arch bridges, which cross the entire valley from bluff top to bluff top, constructed between 1907 and the mid-1930s.
In this gallery, I am posting profile photos of these enormous, decorative, historic bridges, from the Duke Ellington Bridge near the zoo to M Street in Georgetown near the Potomac. However, the decks, corners, and sidewalks of some of these bridges are decorated with elaborate statues and carvings, which I will be posting separately.
I included detailed descriptions of the Taft, Ellington, and Dumbarton bridges in my Bridgespotting books, but did not go into much detail on the history of Rock Creek Park, the Rock Creek Parkway, or the other amazing bridges in this area of the District. I plan to rectify that by offering more details, and more photos, soon!
