Canceled
Liquid Assets: Lost Streams, Dueling Railroads, and D.C. Micro Alcohol
A dozen microbreweries and distilleries now call D.C. home. Most of them operate from facilities in a small area of Northeast, near rail lines linking the city to Baltimore and the Midwest. Why such a concentration?
This tour probes the geographic logic that steers manufacturing operations to specific parts of the city. We’ll trace the history of D.C.’s railroads and look for clues about long-buried streams and canals.
D.C. wasn’t always a city. The District was once farmland, drained by marshy streams and rushing creeks. Those watercourses still flow, mostly underground. Our ride starts at the mouth of the Washington City Canal, near the Navy Yard. We’ll work our way north along the former Tiber Creek, following the B&O Railroad’s main line on its way to Chicago.
We’ll find out why Bloomingdale floods, visit the one-time Irish neighborhood of Swampoodle, and visualize the 19th-century tunnels that still supply our drinking water. Our trip ends in Ivy City, where we’ll pay visits to new breweries and distilleries.
You will need to bring your bicycle and to be to be reasonably comfortable riding in city traffic. Almost any sort of bike will do. You will be responsible for your own safety and for obeying traffic controls. This is a no-drop, non-athletic ride: We will regroup frequently, and we won’t leave anyone behind. If you’ve been on a bike tour with David before, note that the total distance is longer than past routes.
Location
Yards Park
Water Street SE
Washington,
DC
20003
Neighborhood: Navy Yard
The park lies between Third and Fourth streets. Meet by the water near the footbridge.
This class is canceled
Instructor
David Ramos is a designer, developer, and design educator. He works on projects that support entrepreneurs, advocates, environmentalists, and journalists. His professional practice encompasses interaction design, web application development, cartography, and information design. He teaches at American University, offering classes that integrate culture, code, and form. David is interested in landscape history and ways of interpreting the places that surround us.