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Ohio Drive
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Ohio Drive
Ohio Drive is a street in Southwest Washington, D.C., located in East and West Potomac Parks and bordering the Tidal Basin, Washington Channel, and the Potomac River. It is a central organizing feature of East Potomac Park, providing the only major vehicular route to and through the area. Unlike most roadways named after states in the District of Columbia, Ohio Drive is not an avenue, nor it is heavily used like Wisconsin or Rhode Island Avenues. However, the segment from Independence Avenue to the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway is an important commuter route.
Ohio Drive SW is a contributing property to the East and West Potomac Parks Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in November 1973.
It is not to be confused with Ohio Avenue, which ran between 13th and 15th streets NW until the 1920s, when it was eliminated by the construction of Federal Triangle.
Ohio Drive starts at the Lincoln Memorial and continues south on the west side of West Potomac Park. It crosses a small channel connecting the Potomac River to the Tidal Basin via the Tidal Basin Inlet Bridge, and continues under the 14th Street Bridge and the Washington Metro Yellow Line span. The street enters and continues along the west side of East Potomac Park almost to the southern point of the island, then turns northwest up the eastern side of the island. Ohio Drive passes under 14th Street and CSX railroad tracks before ending at East Basin Drive (where that street connects to Maine Avenue).
Construction on what was then known as Riverside Drive began in 1912 and was completed in 1916. A portion of it was already finished by June 1913. (President Woodrow Wilson walked along it to take in the view.) The road was nicknamed "The Speedway" from the informal horse and buggy racing that used to occur on the road.
Riverside Drive in West Potomac Park was lit at night using the "Twin Twentys" lamppost. These wrought iron light standards, approved by the United States Commission of Fine Arts, have twin globes connected to a main pole by a decorative U-shaped bracket. The main pole is octagonal in cross-sextion and 15 feet (4.6 m) high. With the bracket and globes, the lamppost's total height is 21 feet (6.4 m). As constructed, the road was one lane wide and consisted of macadam. At some point between 1916 and 1941, the portion of the road on the east side of the island between the railroad tracks and East Potomac Park Golf Course was turned into a two-lane road divided by a boulevard.
A number of important and historic structures are located on Ohio Drive SW.
The West Potomac Park Polo Grounds, located between Independence Avenue SW and Ohio Drive SW, were laid out in 1908. Paved over in 1942 to provide parking for the temporary United States Department of War offices on the National Mall, the southern half was restored to athletic fields in 1943. A Women Appointed to Voluntary Emergency Services (WAVES) dormitory was constructed on the remaining parking lot in 1944. The dormitory was demolished in 1965, and the area at last completely restored to athletic fields.
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Ohio Drive
Ohio Drive is a street in Southwest Washington, D.C., located in East and West Potomac Parks and bordering the Tidal Basin, Washington Channel, and the Potomac River. It is a central organizing feature of East Potomac Park, providing the only major vehicular route to and through the area. Unlike most roadways named after states in the District of Columbia, Ohio Drive is not an avenue, nor it is heavily used like Wisconsin or Rhode Island Avenues. However, the segment from Independence Avenue to the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway is an important commuter route.
Ohio Drive SW is a contributing property to the East and West Potomac Parks Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in November 1973.
It is not to be confused with Ohio Avenue, which ran between 13th and 15th streets NW until the 1920s, when it was eliminated by the construction of Federal Triangle.
Ohio Drive starts at the Lincoln Memorial and continues south on the west side of West Potomac Park. It crosses a small channel connecting the Potomac River to the Tidal Basin via the Tidal Basin Inlet Bridge, and continues under the 14th Street Bridge and the Washington Metro Yellow Line span. The street enters and continues along the west side of East Potomac Park almost to the southern point of the island, then turns northwest up the eastern side of the island. Ohio Drive passes under 14th Street and CSX railroad tracks before ending at East Basin Drive (where that street connects to Maine Avenue).
Construction on what was then known as Riverside Drive began in 1912 and was completed in 1916. A portion of it was already finished by June 1913. (President Woodrow Wilson walked along it to take in the view.) The road was nicknamed "The Speedway" from the informal horse and buggy racing that used to occur on the road.
Riverside Drive in West Potomac Park was lit at night using the "Twin Twentys" lamppost. These wrought iron light standards, approved by the United States Commission of Fine Arts, have twin globes connected to a main pole by a decorative U-shaped bracket. The main pole is octagonal in cross-sextion and 15 feet (4.6 m) high. With the bracket and globes, the lamppost's total height is 21 feet (6.4 m). As constructed, the road was one lane wide and consisted of macadam. At some point between 1916 and 1941, the portion of the road on the east side of the island between the railroad tracks and East Potomac Park Golf Course was turned into a two-lane road divided by a boulevard.
A number of important and historic structures are located on Ohio Drive SW.
The West Potomac Park Polo Grounds, located between Independence Avenue SW and Ohio Drive SW, were laid out in 1908. Paved over in 1942 to provide parking for the temporary United States Department of War offices on the National Mall, the southern half was restored to athletic fields in 1943. A Women Appointed to Voluntary Emergency Services (WAVES) dormitory was constructed on the remaining parking lot in 1944. The dormitory was demolished in 1965, and the area at last completely restored to athletic fields.
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