Meridian Hill Park Comes Full Circle

Until recently not many people were up to spending time in Meridian Hill Park. Located between 15th and 16th streets in the District, this lovely Washington DC landmark fell into decay and became fairly dangerous for the average visitor. Most stayed away as it gained a reputation as a haven for drug traffic. Vandalism and lack of care was an issue as well. I lived in the area all my life and up until last summer had never been in the park. However, I had passed by the park many times and wondered what was inside. From 16th street it sort of looked like a palace or fortress to me. And now that I have seen the park it has quickly become one of my favorite DC haunts.

Helped by the recent changes in the local neighborhood and  the efforts of some committed volunteers the park has undergone a transformation. There has been a lot of restoration work with more  scheduled but the beauty of this early century masterpiece is inescapable. Designed and built between 1912 and 1936 and  representative of the type of classical parks found in urban areas of Europe, the park sits on top of a the meridian fault line and offers some great views of the surrounding area. The focal piece is the Italian Renaissance style cascading fountain which was built to take advantage of the fall line running through Washington that separates the coastal plane from the Piedmont.

There are some very nice and unique statues in the park including my two favorites. The first is a fine statue of Dante and the other of Joan of Arc sitting on a horse. The park also features a  large memorial to James Buchannan, a lesser president who many do not know much about. Many locals also refer to the park as Malcolm X Park. Back in the 1970s there was a popular movement to change it's name to that officially. However since there is already a memorial to a past president, national park policy prevents a name change. Every Sunday for years the park has featured a famous "drum circle"- a popular local event that draws folks of all walks and many talented local drummers. I think the best time to visit the park is in the early morning or take a picnic and go sit by the fountain in the evening. You won't regret the trip.

I stopped in last week while doing some real estate work in the District and took some photos on my pad. Enjoy!