Bridges of Washington, DC

Architect Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, explores the engineering, architectural, and cultural history of Washington, D.C.’s major bridges. From the 19th-century Old Aqueduct Bridge to the Francis Scott Key, Dumbarton, and Chain bridges, she traces how these crossings shaped movement, commerce, and civic identity. Muraskin highlights designers’ responses to spanning the Potomac and Rock Creek, revealing innovations, evolving aesthetics, and the bridges’ enduring roles in the city’s growth and character.