NCPC’s Centennial offered a moment for celebration and reflection. We are honored to carry on the legacy of planning for the nation’s capital. Capital cities must respond to both the aspirational values of our country, and the on-the-ground realities of meeting the needs of a diverse, growing city and region where people live, work, and play.
This Centennial milestone provided a unique opportunity to reflect on much more than the agency’s history — we examined the evolution of planning in Washington, DC and the region, acknowledged negative impacts created by past planning practices, and considered lessons learned to inform planning into the future.
The exhibit Planning Washington: Capital and Community was displayed at several locations, and is available as a digital exhibit. More than 300 original planning documents are available in our online library. Most critically, we brought regional leaders together in conversation on the impact of past planning practices on Washington, DC and the region as it is experienced today.
We are grateful to the organizations and people that supported our Centennial work and engaged in thoughtful explorations of our planning history.
President Biden wrote a letter recognizing NCPC’s Centennial and congratulating the agency for demonstrating the best in public service. His letter notes, “I hope you feel great pride in the role the NCPC has played in preserving the legacy of Washington, D.C., while promoting a positive vision for its future.”
In a fun, fast round of virtual presentations, six thought-provoking professionals
each discussed an item from NCPC’s online planning library that showcases maps,
plans, and studies from the past 100 years.
Presenters:
As a planning consultant and later National Capital Planning Commission Chair,
Harland Bartholomew profoundly shaped Washington, DC’s physical and social
landscape. The panel discussed Bartholomew’s work in Washington and nationally and
highlighted his complex legacy.
Presenters:
NCPC, in partnership with the American Planning Association’s Federal Planning Division, welcomed almost 600 federal planners from across the country for the Federal Planning Division’s annual workshop which helped celebrate NCPC’s Centennial. Opening panel included NCPC’s Marcel Acosta and Johanna McCrehan with Andrew Trueblood.
The official launch of the Centennial exhibit took place at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. The exhibit was on display through September 3, 2024.
A panel looked at how has our past shaped the nation’s capital we see today, using
the centennial as an opportunity to understand how ambitions to create an inspiring
and beautiful city wrestled with the reality of responding to the needs of city
residents.
Panelists:
The Centennial exhibit moved to the West End Neighborhood Library and was on display through September 30, 2024.
A salon-style program about the plans and people that shaped Washington, DC that also
celebrated the exhibit Planning Washington: Capital and Community and
NCPC’s
centennial.
Panelists:
The Centennial exhibit was on display at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in the Hall of Nations through October 30, 2024.
The panel of regional planning leaders looked at the impact of the federal-local relationship on decision-making and development and how this might evolve in the future.
While Robert Moses may be better known, Harland Bartholomew may have had a bigger
impact on U.S. cities. This online program examined his complex legacy and how he
shaped Washington, DC; Louisville, KY; and St. Louis, MO.
Speakers:
The Centennial exhibit was at it's final display location at Arena Stage through December 3, 2024.
The tours, led by DC Design Tours, took place on November 2, 9, 22, and 23 and were sponsored by NCPC, Southwest Business Improvement District, DC Public Library Foundation, and Arena Stage.
