Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park facts for kids
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Meridian Hill Park
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A thirteen-basin cascade fountain is one of the more dramatic features of Meridian Hill Park
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| Location | Bounded by 16th, Euclid, 15th, and W Sts., NW. Washington, D.C. |
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| Architect | George Burnap and Horace Peaslee |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000273 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 25, 1974 |
| Designated NHL | April 19, 1994 |
Meridian Hill Park, also known as Malcolm X Park, is a beautiful park in Washington, D.C.. It's located in the Columbia Heights neighborhood, right next to Adams Morgan. This park was designed and built between 1912 and 1940. It covers about 12 acres (4.9 hectares) and is officially part of the National Park System. The park is managed by the same team that looks after Rock Creek Park. Meridian Hill Park is bordered by 15th, 16th, W, and Euclid streets NW. It sits on a tall hill about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) directly north of the White House. Since 1969, many people have called it "Malcolm X Park" to honor the important minister and activist Malcolm X.
Discovering the Park's Past
When Washington, D.C. was first created in 1791, the land where Meridian Hill Park now stands belonged to a rich merchant named Robert Peter. People called it Peter's Hill. In 1804, President Thomas Jefferson had a special marker placed on this big hill. This marker was exactly north of the White House. It helped set up a main line for measuring longitude for the city and the country. This line was called the "White House meridian."
After the War of 1812, a naval hero named David Porter bought the hill in 1816. He named his new property Meridian Hill. On top of this hill, near the marker, Porter built a large and famous house. He also named it Meridian Hill. The house faced south, offering an amazing view of the White House and the Potomac River. Today, Meridian Hill Park still has this great view. After his time as president, John Quincy Adams even lived at Meridian Hill for a short while.
During the American Civil War, the Meridian Hill estate and mansion were used as an army camp called Camp Cameron. This was because of its important location overlooking the city.
After the war, a fire badly damaged the mansion, and it was eventually torn down. Washington was growing quickly after the war. So, in 1867, the old Porter estate was divided into smaller pieces of land. In 1887, a wealthy couple from Missouri, former senator John Brooks Henderson and his wife Mary Foote Henderson, moved to Washington. They bought many of these land lots. On the west side of 16th Street, the Hendersons built a fancy stone house that looked like a castle. It became known as Henderson Castle.
Mary Henderson had big plans for the area. She wanted to use the hill for public spaces. She suggested building a huge presidential mansion on Meridian Hill to replace the White House. This idea didn't work out. Then she suggested the site be used for the Lincoln Memorial, but that didn't happen either.
When those plans failed, Mary Henderson focused on creating a park. She also used her own money to build large, fancy embassies and mansions along 15th and 16th streets. These beautiful buildings still stand today. They frame Meridian Hill Park and give the area a special look.
In 1901, a group called the Senate Park Commission made big changes to Washington's look. They redesigned the city's National Mall. With Mary Henderson's help, they also decided that a park on Meridian Hill was a good idea. Mary was very determined and well-connected. She strongly supported the park. For many years during the park's construction, she worked hard to make sure Congress kept providing money to finish the project.
Meridian Hill Park was officially created by a law passed on June 25, 1910. The government bought the land that same year. Planning for its construction began in 1912. The Interior Department hired landscape architect George Burnap to design a grand city park. It was inspired by parks in European cities. His plans were approved in 1914. Later, Horace Peaslee took over as the project architect and made some changes. The design included a beautiful terraced fountain with pools in the lower part. The upper part had gardens in a French Baroque style, which was later simplified into an open area for gatherings.
The park's walls, fountains, railings, and benches were built using a special concrete material. This technique was developed by a skilled craftsman named John Joseph Earley. He and his team worked on the project for years. After two decades of building, the park was mostly finished and opened in 1936. It quickly became a popular spot for city residents.
The upper part of the park was often used for concerts and events. In 1969, activist Angela Davis suggested renaming the park Malcolm X Park. However, this name change was never officially approved. After 1970, parts of Washington faced economic problems. The park and its neighborhood also saw some decline. Crime and vandalism became an issue, and the park became less safe.
Around 1990, local residents decided to get more involved. They formed a group called the Friends of Meridian Hill. This group organized volunteer patrols to fight crime. They also planted trees and created many community programs in the park. These included evening concerts. They helped the National Park Service make improvements. In 1994, President Bill Clinton honored the Friends of Meridian Hill for their efforts. Since 2005, the Park Service has been working to restore the park. They are carefully repairing and replacing the unique concrete structures. This ongoing work has made the park a wonderful place for the city again.
Today, the park is a well-loved place for local people. On Sunday afternoons when the weather is warm, people gather in the upper park. They dance and take part in a drum circle. This activity has been happening in the park since the 1950s. It regularly attracts excited dancers and professional drummers.
In 1994, the park was named a National Historic Landmark. This means it's recognized as a very important example of early 20th-century park design in the United States. It is still maintained as part of Rock Creek Park. In 2014, the government of Washington, D.C., created the Meridian Hill Historic District. This district includes the neighborhood around the park, with the park itself at its center.
What You'll See Here
A main attraction of Meridian Hill Park is the 13-basin Cascading Waterfall. This is in the lower part of the formal garden. The fountains use a special system that reuses water. Pumps send water to two large round fountains on the upper level. Then, the water flows down the cascade to the lower level. The park has many walls and stairways, which add variety. Because the park is on a hillside, some of the stairways are quite dramatic. You'll also find well-designed concrete benches and decorative urns, along with patterned concrete walkways.
The park's design, created by Burnap and Peaslee, was meant to look like a formal Italian garden. The actual planting plan was designed by landscape architects Vitale, Brinckerhoff, and Geiffert from New York. In the past, gardens like this were usually only for rich people. But Meridian Hill Park was made for everyone to enjoy.
Amazing Statues
Several beautiful sculptures and memorials are placed throughout the park. Some were even put there while the park was still being built. These include:
- Serenity: This statue was made by sculptor Jose Clara (Josep Clarà i Ayats). It honors U.S. Navy commander William Henry Scheutze. It was carved from a single block of white marble and dedicated in 1924.
- Joan of Arc: This statue was a gift from the Ladies of France in Exile in New York in 1922. It celebrates the 510th birthday of Joan of Arc. It's a bronze copy of an 1889 statue by Paul Dubois. This statue was originally made for Reims Cathedral in France. Other copies are in Paris and Strasbourg. In Washington, D.C., which has many statues of people on horseback, this is the only one that shows a woman on a horse.
- Dante: This is an 11.5-foot (3.5 m) tall bronze sculpture by Ettore Ximenes. The statue was created in 1921. It stands on a pedestal of sea-green granite. It shows the Italian poet Dante Alighieri dressed in a scholar's robe.
- James Buchanan Memorial: This memorial honors James Buchanan, the 15th president of the United States. It was sculpted by Hans Schuler. This impressive 82-foot (25 m) long memorial was dedicated in 1930. It is the only memorial to James Buchanan in Washington, D.C.
In Popular Culture
The indie rock band Unrest, from the Washington, D.C., area, named their fourth album Malcolm X Park after the park's unofficial name.
