Mount Vernon Memorial Highway
Why it's listed
Running along the Potomac River from Arlington Memorial Bridge to Mount Vernon, this highway was built between 1929 and 1932 to honor George Washington on the bicentennial of his birth. The Bureau of Public Roads designed it with consultants from the Westchester County Park Authority in New York, and it shares features with their parkways: stone-faced arch bridges over concrete construction, beveled curbs and rustic wooden guardrails. The road follows the route nearest the river, giving views of Fort Washington and, for northbound traffic, of the Washington Monument. It is considered the first parkway built and maintained by the federal government and the first with a commemorative purpose in its name and alignment. The southern section in Fairfax County is the least altered. Washington Street in Alexandria is included through a federal easement, and the Navy-Marine Memorial on Columbia Island is also part of the listing.
Significance in brief: It is significant as the first parkway constructed and maintained by the U.S. Government and the first with a commemorative function stated in its name and alignment. The section south of Alexandria is probably the least altered of the early parkways in the United States. Its stone-faced arch bridges, concrete slab base, beveled curbing and plantings mark its character.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 81000079, listed May 18, 1981. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Washington St. and George Washington Memorial Pkwy., Alexandria (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Alexandria |
| Listed | May 18, 1981 |
| Reference number | 81000079 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1929-32 |
| Architect / builder | U.S. Bureau of Public Roads |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Remains under National Park Service administration and in use as a parkway; the Fairfax County section is the least altered, while the northern section has been repaved, realigned and widened in places. |
| Acreage | 515 |
| Coordinates | 38.79979, -77.06122 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 81000079.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q717925
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.