Glover-Archbold Park
- Address: Reservation 351 and 450 (foundry Branch Valley)
| Y/M/D | Person | Association | Description | Composition | Food | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Y/M/D | Person | Association | Description | Composition | Food | Event |
| Charles Carroll Glover | Significant name | |||||
| 1923/00/00 | ||||||
| 1924/00/00 | Anne Archbold | Benefactor | Anne Archbold donates 23.12 acres in Foundry Branch Valley to the District of Columbia as parkland. |
| Particulars for Glover-Archbold Park: | |
|---|---|
| Area of Significance | Community Planning and Development |
| Area of Significance | Conservation |
| Owner | Federal |
| Criteria | Historic Event |
| Historic Use | Outdoor recreation |
| Criteria | Person |
| Sight Category | Site |
Perhaps Anne Archbold's most generous donation and impassioned cause was the Glover-Archbold Park. In 1924, two years after construction had begun at Hillandale, Anne Archbold donated 23.12 acres in Foundry Branch Valley to the District of Columbia. The gift was made in memory of her father and was to be used for a park. The land was contiguous with Glover Parkway (to the north), Reservoir Road (to the south), 44th Street (to the west), and Arizona Avenue (to the east). Archbold's donation was combined with seventy-seven acres, previously bestowed by Charles C Glover, to establish Glover-Archbold Park. The generosity of both gifts reflected the concern for maintaining Washington's verdure. Colonel Sherrill, the executive officer of the newly formed National Capital Park Commission, outlined these sentiments: "There is a growing interest in the movement to enlarge and beautify the park areas of the Nation's Capital as evidenced by these contributions of land."
After 1948, when it became clear that the federal government intended to construct a highway through the park, Anne Archbold and the Glover family opposed a series of plans to construct highways and bridges through the park. In a passionate letter to The Washington Post, Anne Archbold described the park: It is beautifully wooded, with a wealth of wild flowers and bird life. Quiet pathways lead down its sides along the meandering creek bed with its sycamore-tulip tangles, furnishing restful retreats for adults and fascinating children. Such a beautiful park cannot be eliminated if Washington is to grow as a living organism with its parts in proper balance.
In 1959, Anne Archbold filed a suit in the United States District Court against the District of Columbia which sought to prohibit construction of a four-lane highway through the park. In February 1965, she asked Mayor Walter E. Washington to block construction of the Three Sisters Bridge because she feared its approach lanes might require a freeway through the park. Archbold wrote, "It was my purpose that the beautiful wooded valley be preserved perpetually for the benefit and pleasure of the public. It should remain and be enjoyed by all as a natural sanctuary." In 1967, after more than twenty-years of dispute, the government of the District of Columbia formally surrendered its 100-foot wide right-of-way through the Glover-Archbold Park. The intact park remains as a tribute to Anne Archbold's dedication to Washington's park system. - NRHP Registration 11 December 1994
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