Gravelly Point: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 38°51′54″N 77°02′21″W / 38.8651°N 77.0391°W / 38.8651; -77.0391
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{{Coord|38.8651|-77.0391|type:landmark_source:enwiki-googlemaplink_region:US-VA|display=title}}
{{Coord|38.8651|-77.0391|type:landmark_source:enwiki-googlemaplink_region:US-VA|display=title}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}
[[File:AERIAL VIEW OF GRAVELLY POINT AND WATERFOWL SANCTUARY LOOKING NORTHEAST - cropped and recolored.tif|thumb|250x250px|Aerial view of Gravelly Point circa 1968 with the [[George Washington Memorial Parkway|George Washington Parkway]] in the foreground and the end of [[Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport|Reagan National Airport]] runway 19 at right.]]
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'''Gravelly Point''' is an area within the [[National Park Service]]'s [[George Washington Memorial Parkway]] in [[Arlington County, Virginia|Arlington County]], [[Virginia]].<ref name="map1">{{cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/maps.htm|access-date=January 19, 2018|title=Maps|work=George Washington Memorial Parkway|publisher=[[U.S. National Park Service]]}}</ref> It is located on the west side of the [[Potomac River]], north of [[List of tributaries of the Potomac River|Roaches Run]] and [[Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport]].<ref name="map1" />


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'''Gravelly Point''' is an area within the [[National Park Service]]'s [[George Washington Memorial Parkway]] in [[Arlington County, Virginia|Arlington County]], [[Virginia]].<ref name="map1">{{cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/maps.htm|access-date=January 19, 2018|title=Maps|work=George Washington Memorial Parkway|publisher=[[U.S. National Park Service]]}}</ref> It is located on the west side of the [[Potomac River]], immediately north of [[List of tributaries of the Potomac River|Roaches Run]] and [[Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport]].<ref name="map1" />[[File:AERIAL VIEW OF GRAVELLY POINT AND WATERFOWL SANCTUARY LOOKING NORTHEAST - cropped and recolored.tif|thumb|250x250px|Aerial view of Gravelly Point circa 1968 with the [[George Washington Memorial Parkway|George Washington Parkway]] in the foreground and the end of [[Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport|Reagan National Airport]] runway 19 at right.]]
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The paved [[Mount Vernon Trail]] travels through the area.<ref name="map1" /> A [[Rugby union|rugby]] pitch hosts high school matches.<ref>{{cite web|title=Gonzaga Athletics: Game & Practice Locations|url=https://www.gonzaganc.org/page.aspx?pid=886|access-date=March 21, 2019|website=gonzaganc.org|publisher=[[Gonzaga College High School]]}}</ref> The area also has a [[Slipway|boat launch]] and a [[Capital Bikeshare]] dock.<ref>{{cite web|title=Public Boating Access|url=https://www.dgif.virginia.gov/boating/access/?find_by_locality=490|access-date=January 19, 2018|publisher=[[Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries]]}}</ref>
[[File:Bicycling And Picnicking Along George Washington Parkway Which Is In The Glide Path To National Airport, April 1973 - restored.tif|thumb|Gravelly Point visitors watching an aircraft land in April 1973.]]
[[File:Bicycling And Picnicking Along George Washington Parkway Which Is In The Glide Path To National Airport, April 1973 - restored.tif|thumb|Gravelly Point visitors watching an aircraft land in April 1973.]]
[[File:MountVernonTrail GravellyPoint.jpg|thumb|Airplane taking off from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport as seen looking south from the Mount Vernon Trail at Gravelly Point in 2009.]]
[[File:MountVernonTrail GravellyPoint.jpg|thumb|Airplane taking off from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport as seen looking south from the Mount Vernon Trail at Gravelly Point in 2009.]]


Gravelly Point has served as an iconic spot for [[Aircraft spotting|plane spotters]], [[Picnic|picnickers]] and others to watch planes take off and land from Reagan National Airport for more than half a century.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Ripley|first=Amanda|year=2015|title=Washington: 10 Things to Do — 9. Gravelly Point |url=http://content.time.com/time/travel/cityguide/article/0,31489,1852610_1852670_1852659,00.html|access-date=February 1, 2015|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Ahmad|first=Zach|date=October 10, 2005|title=Plane-spotting: At Gravelly Point park, people stop to spot|work=[[The GW Hatchet]]|publisher=Hatchet Publications, Inc. |url=http://www.gwhatchet.com/2005/10/10/plane-spotting-at-gravelly-point-park-people-stop-to-spot/ |access-date=February 1, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013092038/http://www.gwhatchet.com/2005/10/10/plane-spotting-at-gravelly-point-park-people-stop-to-spot/|archive-date=October 13, 2013}}</ref> Directly in the [[Instrument landing system glide path|glide path]] of the airports main [[Runway|runways]], aircraft pass between 100 and 200 feet overhead when on [[final approach]] to land on Runway 19 or when taking off from Runway 1.
Gravelly Point has served as an iconic spot for [[Aircraft spotting|plane spotters]], [[Picnic|picnickers]] and others to watch planes take off and land from National Airport for more than half a century.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Ripley|first=Amanda|year=2015|title=Washington: 10 Things to Do — 9. Gravelly Point |url=http://content.time.com/time/travel/cityguide/article/0,31489,1852610_1852670_1852659,00.html|access-date=February 1, 2015|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Ahmad|first=Zach|date=October 10, 2005|title=Plane-spotting: At Gravelly Point park, people stop to spot|work=[[The GW Hatchet]]|publisher=Hatchet Publications, Inc. |url=http://www.gwhatchet.com/2005/10/10/plane-spotting-at-gravelly-point-park-people-stop-to-spot/ |access-date=February 1, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013092038/http://www.gwhatchet.com/2005/10/10/plane-spotting-at-gravelly-point-park-people-stop-to-spot/|archive-date=October 13, 2013}}</ref> It sits directly under the [[Instrument landing system glide path|glide path]] of the airport's main [[Runway|runways]]; aircraft pass between 100 and 200 feet overhead on [[final approach]] to land on Runway 19 and when taking off from Runway 1.

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The paved [[Mount Vernon Trail]] travels through the area.<ref name="map1" /> A [[Rugby union|rugby]] pitch hosts high school matches.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gonzaga Athletics: Game & Practice Locations |url=https://www.gonzaganc.org/page.aspx?pid=886 |access-date=March 21, 2019 |website=gonzaganc.org |publisher=[[Gonzaga College High School]]}}</ref> The area also has a [[Slipway|boat launch]] and a [[Capital Bikeshare]] dock.<ref>{{cite web |title=Public Boating Access |url=https://www.dgif.virginia.gov/boating/access/?find_by_locality=490 |access-date=January 19, 2018 |publisher=[[Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries]]}}</ref>

Part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, the public recreation area is patrolled by the [[United States Park Police|U.S. Park Police]]. The public is kept off the airport land by the [[Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority]] Police.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-05-07 |title=Update: Missing Woman, 83, Found Dead Near Gravelly Point Park |url=https://patch.com/virginia/arlington-va/body-found-monday-at-gravelly-point-park |access-date=2023-12-02 |website=Arlington, VA Patch |language=en}}</ref>
[[File:Gravelly Point airplane couple.png|thumb|A couple at Gravelly Point watching an airplane approach Reagan National from the north in 2013.]]
[[File:Gravelly Point airplane couple.png|thumb|A couple at Gravelly Point watching an airplane approach Reagan National from the north in 2013.]]
==History==
In 1746, a house and property near Gravelly Point were owned by Gerrard Alexander, whose family were the namesakes of [[Alexandria, Virginia]].<ref name="Rose">{{cite book |last=Rose |first=C. B. Jr. |title=Arlington County, Virginia: A History |publisher=[[Arlington Historical Society |Arlington Historical Society, Inc.]] |year=1976 |pages=26–32}}</ref><ref name="Alexander Family">{{cite web |url=http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?MarkerID=8378 |title=The Alexander Family Historical Marker |date=June 17, 2008 |website=The Historical Marker Database |access-date=March 18, 2011}}</ref> In 1778, the house was part of a [[Plantation complexes in the Southern United States|slave-tilled farm]] named [[Abingdon (plantation)|Abingdon]], and was purchased by [[John Parke Custis]], the son of [[Martha Washington]] and stepson of [[George Washington]].<ref name="Rose" /> Martha Washington's granddaughter [[Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis|Eleanor Parke Custis]] was later born on the farm.<ref name="Rose" />


In 1930, a house at Abingdon was destroyed by fire and its ruins stabilized.<ref name="Rose" />[[File:DCA VIEW.jpg|thumb|The view of Reagan National Airport terminals B and C from Gravelly Point.]]
[[File:DCA VIEW.jpg|thumb|The view of Reagan National Airport terminals B and C from Gravelly Point.]]

=== Proposed renaming ===
== Proposed renaming ==
Since 2016, Congressman [[Jody Hice]] has introduced four unsuccessful bills in the [[United States House of Representatives]] to rename Gravelly Point as [[Nancy Reagan]] Memorial Park. H.R. 5457, introduced in 2016, was referred by the [[House Committee on Natural Resources]] to a subcommittee and proceeded no further.<ref>{{USBill|114|HR|5457|pipe=H.R.5457 - 114th Congress (2015-2016)|site=yes}}. Retrieved June 16, 2016.</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Bill Introduced to Rename Gravelly Point After Nancy Reagan |url=https://www.arlnow.com/2016/06/14/bill-introduced-to-rename-gravelly-point-after-nancy-reagan/ |access-date=January 19, 2018 |work=ARLnow.com |publisher=Local News Now LLC |date=June 14, 2016 |location=[[Arlington, Virginia]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Allen |first1=Mike |last2=Lippman |first2=Daniel |title=Clintonites Join DNC |url=https://www.politico.com/tipsheets/playbook/2016/06/clintonites-join-dnc-sanders-loses-leverage-trump-touts-campaign-of-substance-bush-43-unlikely-savior-bday-desiree-barnes-tory-burch-newt-gingrich-matt-miller-214873 |access-date=January 19, 2018 |work=[[Politico]] |date=June 17, 2016}}</ref> H.R. 553, introduced in 2017, received approval from the Natural Resources Committee on January 17, 2018, in a [[party-line vote]] but saw no further action.<ref>{{USBill|115|HR|553|pipe=H.R.553 - 115th Congress (2017-2018)|site=yes}}. Retrieved January 19, 2018.</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Teale |first1=Chris |title=Beyer Blasts Bill Renaming Gravelly Point Park for Nancy Reagan |url=https://www.arlnow.com/2018/01/17/beyer-blasts-bill-renaming-gravelly-point-park-for-nancy-reagan/ |access-date=January 19, 2018 |work=ARLnow.com |publisher=Local News Now LLC |date=January 17, 2018 |location=Arlington, Virginia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Simmons-Duffin |first1=Selena |title=Ronald Reagan Got An Airport. Should Nancy Reagan Get Gravelly Point? |url=https://wamu.org/story/18/01/18/ronald-reagan-got-airport-nancy-reagan-get-gravelly-point/ |access-date=January 19, 2018 |work=[[WAMU]] |publisher=[[American University]] |date=January 18, 2018 |location=[[Washington, D.C.]]}}</ref> H.R. 308, introduced in 2019, was referred by the Natural Resources Committee to a subcommittee which took no further action.<ref>{{USBill|116|HR|308|pipe=H.R.308 - 116th Congress (2019-2020)|site=yes}}. Retrieved September 28, 2020.</ref> H.R. 4364, introduced in 2021, was referred by the Natural Resources Committee to a subcommittee and has seen no further action {{as of|lc=y|2022|10}}.<ref>{{USBill|117|HR|4364|pipe=H.R.4364 - 117th Congress (2021-2022)|site=yes}}. Retrieved October 8, 2022.</ref>
Between 2016 and 2021, Rep. [[Jody Hice]] of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] introduced four unsuccessful bills in the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] to rename the Gravelly Point area "[[Nancy Reagan]] Memorial Park." His legislation, filed as H.R. 5457 (2016),<ref>{{cite news |title=Bill Introduced to Rename Gravelly Point After Nancy Reagan |url=https://www.arlnow.com/2016/06/14/bill-introduced-to-rename-gravelly-point-after-nancy-reagan/ |access-date=January 19, 2018 |work=ARLnow.com |publisher=Local News Now LLC |date=June 14, 2016 |location=[[Arlington, Virginia]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Allen |first1=Mike |last2=Lippman |first2=Daniel |title=Clintonites Join DNC |url=https://www.politico.com/tipsheets/playbook/2016/06/clintonites-join-dnc-sanders-loses-leverage-trump-touts-campaign-of-substance-bush-43-unlikely-savior-bday-desiree-barnes-tory-burch-newt-gingrich-matt-miller-214873 |access-date=January 19, 2018 |work=[[Politico]] |date=June 17, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{USBill|114|HR|5457|pipe=H.R.5457 - 114th Congress (2015-2016)|site=yes}}. Retrieved June 16, 2016.</ref> H.R. 553 (2017-18),<ref>{{cite news |last1=Teale |first1=Chris |title=Beyer Blasts Bill Renaming Gravelly Point Park for Nancy Reagan |url=https://www.arlnow.com/2018/01/17/beyer-blasts-bill-renaming-gravelly-point-park-for-nancy-reagan/ |access-date=January 19, 2018 |work=ARLnow.com |publisher=Local News Now LLC |date=January 17, 2018 |location=Arlington, Virginia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Simmons-Duffin |first1=Selena |title=Ronald Reagan Got An Airport. Should Nancy Reagan Get Gravelly Point? |url=https://wamu.org/story/18/01/18/ronald-reagan-got-airport-nancy-reagan-get-gravelly-point/ |access-date=January 19, 2018 |work=[[WAMU]] |publisher=[[American University]] |date=January 18, 2018 |location=[[Washington, D.C.]]}}</ref><ref>{{USBill|115|HR|553|pipe=H.R.553 - 115th Congress (2017-2018)|site=yes}}. Retrieved January 19, 2018.</ref> H.R. 308 (2019),<ref>{{USBill|116|HR|308|pipe=H.R.308 - 116th Congress (2019-2020)|site=yes}}. Retrieved September 28, 2020.</ref> and H.R. 4364 (2021)<ref>{{USBill|117|HR|4364|pipe=H.R.4364 - 117th Congress (2021-2022)|site=yes}}. Retrieved October 20, 2023.</ref> was each time referred to a subcommittee by the [[House Committee on Natural Resources]], proceeding no further. Hice left office in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://bioguideretro.congress.gov/Home/MemberDetails?memIndex=H001071 |title=HICE, Jody Brownlow (1960-) |website=Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress |access-date=October 20, 2023}}</ref>


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 05:14, 2 December 2023

38°51′54″N 77°02′21″W / 38.8651°N 77.0391°W / 38.8651; -77.0391

Gravelly Point is an area within the National Park Service's George Washington Memorial Parkway in Arlington County, Virginia.[1] It is located on the west side of the Potomac River, immediately north of Roaches Run and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.[1]

Aerial view of Gravelly Point circa 1968 with the George Washington Parkway in the foreground and the end of Reagan National Airport runway 19 at right.
Gravelly Point visitors watching an aircraft land in April 1973.
Airplane taking off from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport as seen looking south from the Mount Vernon Trail at Gravelly Point in 2009.

Gravelly Point has served as an iconic spot for plane spotters, picnickers and others to watch planes take off and land from National Airport for more than half a century.[2][3] It sits directly under the glide path of the airport's main runways; aircraft pass between 100 and 200 feet overhead on final approach to land on Runway 19 and when taking off from Runway 1.

The paved Mount Vernon Trail travels through the area.[1] A rugby pitch hosts high school matches.[4] The area also has a boat launch and a Capital Bikeshare dock.[5]

Part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, the public recreation area is patrolled by the U.S. Park Police. The public is kept off the airport land by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police.[6]

A couple at Gravelly Point watching an airplane approach Reagan National from the north in 2013.
The view of Reagan National Airport terminals B and C from Gravelly Point.

Proposed renaming[edit]

Between 2016 and 2021, Rep. Jody Hice of Georgia introduced four unsuccessful bills in the House of Representatives to rename the Gravelly Point area "Nancy Reagan Memorial Park." His legislation, filed as H.R. 5457 (2016),[7][8][9] H.R. 553 (2017-18),[10][11][12] H.R. 308 (2019),[13] and H.R. 4364 (2021)[14] was each time referred to a subcommittee by the House Committee on Natural Resources, proceeding no further. Hice left office in 2023.[15]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Maps". George Washington Memorial Parkway. U.S. National Park Service. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  2. ^ Ripley, Amanda (2015). "Washington: 10 Things to Do — 9. Gravelly Point". Time. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  3. ^ Ahmad, Zach (October 10, 2005). "Plane-spotting: At Gravelly Point park, people stop to spot". The GW Hatchet. Hatchet Publications, Inc. Archived from the original on October 13, 2013. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  4. ^ "Gonzaga Athletics: Game & Practice Locations". gonzaganc.org. Gonzaga College High School. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  5. ^ "Public Boating Access". Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  6. ^ "Update: Missing Woman, 83, Found Dead Near Gravelly Point Park". Arlington, VA Patch. May 7, 2013. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
  7. ^ "Bill Introduced to Rename Gravelly Point After Nancy Reagan". ARLnow.com. Arlington, Virginia: Local News Now LLC. June 14, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  8. ^ Allen, Mike; Lippman, Daniel (June 17, 2016). "Clintonites Join DNC". Politico. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  9. ^ H.R.5457 - 114th Congress (2015-2016) at Congress.gov. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  10. ^ Teale, Chris (January 17, 2018). "Beyer Blasts Bill Renaming Gravelly Point Park for Nancy Reagan". ARLnow.com. Arlington, Virginia: Local News Now LLC. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  11. ^ Simmons-Duffin, Selena (January 18, 2018). "Ronald Reagan Got An Airport. Should Nancy Reagan Get Gravelly Point?". WAMU. Washington, D.C.: American University. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  12. ^ H.R.553 - 115th Congress (2017-2018) at Congress.gov. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  13. ^ H.R.308 - 116th Congress (2019-2020) at Congress.gov. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  14. ^ H.R.4364 - 117th Congress (2021-2022) at Congress.gov. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  15. ^ "HICE, Jody Brownlow (1960-)". Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress. Retrieved October 20, 2023.

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