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Constitution Avenue is a major east-west street in the northwest and northeast quadrants of the city of Washington, D.C., in the United States. It was originally known as B Street, and its western section was greatly lengthened and widened between 1925 and 1933. It received its current name on February 26, 1931. Constitution Avenue's western half defines the northern border of the National Mall and extends from the United States Capitol to the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge. Its eastern half runs through the neighborhoods of Capitol Hill and Kingman Park before it terminates at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. A large number of federal departmental headquarters, memorials, and museums line Constitution Avenue's western segment. ==Creating B Street== When the District of Columbia was founded in 1790, the Potomac River was much wider than it currently is, and a major tidal estuary known as Tiber Creek flowed roughly from 6th Street NW to the shore of the river (then just south of the White House). In Pierre (Peter) Charles L'Enfant's original plan for the city in 1791, B Street NW〔Cartesian designations such as "Northwest" were not used in the District of Columbia until the 1890s, but for the purposes of this article will be used throughout.〕 began at 6th Street NW,〔"Plan Commission to Consider Four Parks Proposals." ''Washington Post.'' February 13, 1927.〕 and ended at the river's edge at 15th Street NW.〔"New Study Ordered of Memorial Bridge." ''Washington Post.'' December 29, 1926.〕 Its eastern segment, which was unimpeded by any water obstacles, ran straight to the Eastern Branch river (now known as the Anacostia River). Along its entire length, B Street was wide.〔"Park Commission Accepts B Street Boulevard Plans." ''Washington Post.'' August 21, 1926.〕 L'Enfant proposed turning Tiber Creek into a canal. His plan included cutting a new canal south across the western side of the United States Capitol grounds and converting James Creek (which ran from the Capitol south-southwest through the city) into the canal's southern leg.〔Heine, p. 2.〕 The Washington Canal Company was incorporated in 1802, and after several false starts substantial work began in 1810.〔Heine, p. 5-6.〕 The Washington City Canal began operation in 1815.〔Heine, p. 7.〕 The canal suffered from maintenance problems and economic competition almost immediately. Traffic on the canal was adversely affected by tidal forces, which the builders had not accounted for, which deposited large amounts of sediment in the canal. At low tide, portions of the canal were almost dry.〔Heine, p. 10.〕 After the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad built Washington Branch into the city in 1835,〔Dilts, p. 184.〕 competition from railroads left the canal economically unviable.〔Gutheim and Lee, p. 49-50; Curry, p. 233-234.〕 Although the Washington City Canal remained in use after the coming of the railroad, by 1855 it had filled with silt and debris to the point where it was not longer functional.〔Heine, p. 20-21.〕 It remained in this condition throughout the 1860s.〔Heine, p. 23.〕 In 1871, Congress abolished the elected mayor and bicameral legislature of the District of Columbia, and established a territorial government. Territorial government only lasted until 1874 (at which time Congress imposed an appointed three-member commission on the city), but during this period the D.C. Board of Public Works enclosed the canal and turned it into a sewer. B Street NW from 15th Street to Virginia Avenue NW was constructed on top of it. Work began in October 1871 and was complete in December 1873.〔Harrison, p. 253.〕 After terrible flooding inundated much of downtown Washington, D.C., in 1881, Congress ordered the United States Army Corps of Engineers to dredge a deep channel in the Potomac to lessen the chance of flooding. Congress also ordered that the dredged material be used to fill in what remained of the Tiber Creek estuary and build up much of the land near the White House and along Pennsylvania Avenue NW by nearly to form a kind of levee.〔Tindall, p. 396; Gutheim and Lee, p. 94-97; Bednar, p. 47.〕 This "reclaimed land" — which today includes West Potomac Park, East Potomac Park, the Tidal Basin — was largely complete by 1890, and designated Potomac Park by Congress in 1897.〔Gutheim and Lee, p. 96-97.〕 Congress first appropriated money for the beautification of the reclaimed land in 1902, which led to the planting of sod, bushes, and trees; grading and paving of sidewalks, bridle paths, and driveways; and the installation of water, drainage, and sewage pipes.〔(''Report of the Chief of Engineers...'', p. 1891. ) Accessed 2013-04-15.〕 B Street NW extended through the newly created West Potomac Park between Virginia Avenue NW and 23rd Street NW. However, since this area was considered parkland, the street narrowed to just in width.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Constitution Avenue」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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