The Arlington Memorial Bridge spans the Potomac River to connect the National Mall in Washington, DC, with Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. Intended to join the North and South both physically and symbolically, it provides a link between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House (Robert E. Lee Memorial) that is emblematic of post-Civil War reunification. The bridge's neoclassical style complements other monumental buildings in Washington, DC, such as the U.S. Capitol Building, White House, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and Jefferson Memorial.
William Mitchell Kendall designed the bridge while employed by McKim, Mead and White, a prominent architecture firm based in New York City. Joseph P. Strauss designed the Chicago-type bascule span to complement the bridge's granite-faced masonry spans. When the bridge was completed in 1932, it was the largest Chicago-type bascule span. Unlike most such bridges, its novel design concealed the structural elements and mechanical equipment behind masonry so they would not detract from the bridge's monumental aesthetics.
Project Information
The National Park Service's (NPS) Heritage Documentation Programs (HDP) undertook Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) documentation of Arlington Memorial Bridge in 1986-88 and 2013-14. This StoryMap is part of a third phase in 2018-19 to create an online virtual tour, updated 3D model, and StoryMap. HAER partnered with NPS's Cultural Resources GIS (CRGIS) Facility to carry out this work. The project was sponsored by George Washington Memorial Parkway. The story map was produced by James Stein, CRGIS professional.
The virtual tour, 3D model, and StoryMap provide an interactive way to learn about and explore the structural engineering and history of the Arlington Memorial Bridge, as well as the bridge rehabilitation project that NPS began in 2018. See HDP's Arlington Memorial Bridge project overview page for more information.