Topic > National Mall History Review

The National Mall has a rich, very interesting and complex history with many monuments to important events, fun attractions and museums. It is also very old, dating back to when the capital was moved to Washington DC (Aaron Steckelberg, et al.). It's also quite interesting how various monuments and attractions are ranked based on popularity. Based on an article by Steckelberg, et al and also "The National Mall". by the National Park Service, The National Mall is owned and operated by the National Park Service. “The Mall” refers to the actual green space that forms a sort of roadway. “The National Mall” also includes the Jefferson and Lincoln memorials. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The “Reserve” also includes some other government buildings, such as the White House and the Capitol (Steckelberg, Kennicott, Berkowitz & Lu, 2016). It contains a lot of history, yet its early days were muddled by disagreements and confusion. L'Enfant designed the original mall as "a great avenue" to connect the capital to the White House in 1791. It would be 400 feet wide and 1 mile long, bordered by gardens. Unfortunately, by the 19th century, his ideas were largely forgotten. The mall was also used for military purposes, and in 1872 the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad built a track through part of the mall and allocated an area to build a depot near it. According to “The National Mall.”, “In 1851, President Millard Fillmore hired New York architect Andrew J. Downing to design a landscape plan for the mall and President's Park. This landscape was to provide a wild and natural arrangement of trees, shrubs and open lawns, but it was never fully realized. In 1880 the main building of the accounts (Printing and Engraving Office) was built , the McMillan Commission, in a report to Congress in 1902, called for a restoration and addition of new ideas to L'Enfant's plan. However, it would be only 300 feet long and would be surrounded by four rows of American elms by narrow walkways, the entire area would be fenced with public buildings and museums, as well as two entrances to the underground ones and the agriculture department. The railway was removed in 1909. At this point the basic structure, as well as some buildings, had been designed and built, so the Mall was ready for improvements and many more museums and buildings. There are many museums on the National Mall. They come from different times and eras, from 1865 to the latest in 2004. According to "The National Mall." and Steckelberg, et al., the first building to be constructed was the Smithsonian or "Castle" Building. It was renovated in 1865 after a fire. After the Department of Agriculture was built in 1905, Charles A. Platt designed the Freer Gallery of Art in 1923. Previously, in 1911, the National Museum of Natural History was built. The National Gallery of Art (West Building) was built in 1941. It is not part of the Smithsonian Institution. In 1964 the National Museum of American History was planned, and in 1976 the National Air and Space Museum opened to the public. Previously, in 1974, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill designed the Joseph Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, a 231-foot-diameter concrete building housing contemporary art collections. It is home to the Apollo II capsule and the Wright brothers' Kitty Hawk, as well as other experts. In 1988 it also has a restaurant on the east side. It was designed by Class and Schulze, with Montgomery C. Meigs. The Quadrangle Museums Project in 1987 has.