History

In the late 1990s, the WC Smith Company invested in the Near Southeast neighborhood (now Capitol Riverfront), which at the time consisted of vacant lots, warehouses, bars, widely scattered sub-standard single family homes, many of which were abandoned, and deteriorated public housing. Spurred by a nascent plan for redevelopment of the Anacostia Waterfront, the Smith Company envisioned a new vibrant community and proposed to the city's Office of Planning that the Canal Blocks be turned into a new park replete with water features and activities recalling the canal's heritage. The company helped form a non-profit entity, CPDA, to raise funds for the new park. Subsequently, CPDA and the Anacostia Waterfront Corporation (AWC) jointly hosted a design competition for Canal Park in 2004. After the design competition award, AWC moved forward with design development and CPDA ceased activities.

The District eliminated AWC in 2007, and its projects were absorbed into the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development ("DMPED"). Subsequently, in October 2008, DMPED entered into a license agreement with CPDA to redesign the park based on new stakeholder program requirements and to complete its construction.

Historical Timeline

1791	L'Enfant Plan - Reference to reservation 17 (now Garfield Park: Five grand fountains intended with a constant spout of water. N.B. There are within the limits of the City above 25 good springs of excellent water abundantly supplied in the driest season of the year.
1792	Construction on the Washington City Canal begins (National Register nomination, p. 13)
1794	Plan de la ville de Washington en Ameriqueh Reservation 17 labeled C. La Bourse.
1795	Canal is abandoned due to financial disarray (National Register nomination, p. 13).
1800	Map notes name Garfield Park, no canal noted.
1802	Map from "The Traveler's Directory" - no eastern branch of canal noted.
1802	Construction on the Washington City Canal resumes through 1815 (National Register nomination, p. 13)
1812	Plan for a Marine Hospital and Asylum (reservation 17 as per L'Enfant Plan)
1815	The Washington City Canal opens for use.
1867	The Washington Canal Bill is introduced: vests a 30 year lease interest in the canal to a group of citizens, under the name of the Washington City Canal Company; provides for narrowing portions of the canal, changing bridges to pivot or draw-bridges; granting right of way through Half Street and other streets in order to connect James Creek Canal to Washington City Canal.
1870	Act of Congress to cause the Washington Canal, either in whole or in part, to be dredged, or if decreed best, dredged and narrowed, or arched over and converted into a sewer.
1871	The Pennsylvania Railroad requests permission from DC to build a railroad station at 6th Street, SW. Railroads made canals across the country obsolete (Historic American Building Survey for L'Enfant Plan).
1873	The railroad station on the Mall is complete.
1876	Canal is converted to an open storm sewer.
1880	Roose Map of Washington, DC notes canal path with bridges spanning canal at L and N Streets.
1902	Newspaper article cites instances of people dying from falls into the canal.
1903	Congress grants a portion of Reservation 17 (Garfield Park) to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company (Historic American Building Survey for L'Enfant Plan).
1905	Congress approves the transfer of more than six acres between New Jersey Avenue and South Capitol Street for uses as a heating, lighting and power plant for the Capitol (Historic American Building Survey for L'Enfant Plan).
early 1900's	Canal Street is built over the old canal.
1947	Transfer of jurisdiction of the land comprising the old canal between Squares 737 and 739, identified as U.S. Reservation 17-A (note sketch below), from the National Park Service to the District of Columbia (Office of the Surveyor, book #125).
1969	Portion of Reservation 17 (Garfield Park) is transferred to jurisdiction of the District of Columbia for Southeast/Southwest Freeway construction. Second Street, which had been a through street in the park, closes to traffic and is claimed as parkland. Historic American Building Survey for L'Enfant Plan).