Ahoy Ye Landlubber
Submerged cultural resources along the George Washington Memorial Parkway. The George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) is one of the most scenic roadways in the Washington, DC area. Built to honor the nation’s first president, the GWMP preserves natural and cultural resources along the Potomac River between Great Falls and Mount Vernon and administers several historical and commemorative sites. Unbeknownst to many, though, a variety of submerged cultural resources also exist along the parkway. These resources range from shipwrecks to old docks, all of which hark back to the heyday of river-based transportation that took place around the region from the pre-contact period through the twentieth century. These archeological remnants often lack public interpretation and their place in the historical landscape goes unnoticed. As such, this poster discusses the rich maritime history of the Potomac River adjacent to the GWMP and highlights a few of the submerged resources located along the water’s edge.
