Loading map...

1965 Map of Washington West

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Washington West
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

Arlington National Cemetery and the monumental core of the capital dominate this mid-1960s revision, showing the city's complex interface of government, education, and historic neighborhoods. The landscape is defined by the Potomac River and the winding course of Rock Creek, which separates the dense urban blocks of Mt Pleasant and Columbia Heights from the wooded estates of Cleveland Park. The map documents a concentration of major institutions during a period of significant growth, including the National Institutes of Health and Naval Medical Center in Bethesda.

Military history and civil engineering are evident in the ring of former defenses such as Fort Reno Park and Fort Stevens Park, while the transportation network shows the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad cutting through the northeast. From the Tidal Basin to the heights of the Washington Cathedral, this survey captures the District and its Virginia and Maryland suburbs just before the massive transit and skyline changes of the late 20th century.