Narrative
My project is a discovery mission affiliated with the Tiber Creek in the District of Columbia. The Creek has long since been removed from the District, and the majority of inhabitants in the District have let its memory fade. The purpose I had in mind with the material I discovered was to trace the life of the Tiber Creek in Washington D.C. until its eventual demise. The District of Columbia was founded on land very plentiful in natural aquatic resources. It was also founded at a time when rivers, streams, and creeks were a valuable resource. Through travel and research it is clear that cities more often than not are built near flowing water for that reason. Besides an aesthetic appeal flowing water had great utility for denizens of cities in ages past, especially merchants. Thus, the slow ruin of many bodies of water in the District that went on unnoticed by so many is so interesting. The destruction of habitat along creeks banks, entrapment, and alterations were small steps that forever changed the aquatic resources. A medley of reasons led to the eventual pollution and destruction of so many of the aquatic features in the city of Washington. The key to it all is the transformation of the city and the shift of the culture of the inhabitants.
My project began with a mission to immerse myself in the material. Articles by men like James F. Duhamel who took the time years ago to capture as much of the life of the Tiber as possible significantly aided my quest.(Tiber Creek, Duhamel) My efforts into research revealed that the Tiber Creek most certainly used to be a quite large creek running nearly directly through the middle of modern Washington like a large artery in the middle of town. It was one among others that supplied the small rural communities prior to the Districts construction. The headwaters were miles from the Creek’s entrance into the Potomac and the Creek itself was composed of several branches before forming the main flow. Several times along its way the river was diverted by locals to provide small lakes and fishing holes.(Geological survey, Garnett Williams) The creek was used according to the needs of the locals who were simple and few in number. The creek was able to sustain itself as a magnificent river that was nearly 800 feet abroad at its final stage during this period.
Urbanization as I have said over and over in my project is the culprit responsible for the belittlement and destruction of many of the District of Columbia’s valuable natural resources. The District of Columbia shortly after the beginning of the 1800’s experienced an alarming increase in population. The increase in population is affiliated with the overcrowding and drastic alterations to the city that occurred in the city during the 19th century. As the amount of streets, avenues, and living complexes within the city limits increased the necessity for controlling the flow of water rose. The Tiber Creek like many others was given walls which it would not overflow and directed along paths designated by humans. Its habitat had long since been removed and much of the water the fed into the flowing creek was becoming polluted with debris associated with urban environments. The inhabitants of the city had transformed from denizens of a rural community to impoverished immigrants hoping to settle and thrive in the city. The District of Columbia and its leaders had begun to slide the city away from its roots and was adapting it continually to the strains applied to it. Beginning with the Tiber in its original state my project traces its life through the stages of the District of Columbia’s development into an urban center. My project hopefully enlightens people about the Tiber and what the effects of the transformations in the District of Columbia had on it.