The Connection Behind Meigs Pl NE & the Washington Aqueduct Dam

You pass by street signs every day in DC and names like “Meigs Pl NE” that roll past without a second thought. Have you ever wondered who Meigs was? His name may have faded from common memory, but his legacy is in the very infrastructure of our region.

If you’ve ever walked north of Great Falls along the Potomac, you might have caught sight of a man-made structure stretching across the river. That is part of the Washington Aqueduct Dam, and it was built under the watchful eye of Montgomery C. Meigs. To this day, it still performs its duties supplying treated water to Washington, D.C., and also parts of Virginia like Arlington and Fairfax County. 

But that’s only one chapter of Meigs’s influence. During the same era, he oversaw important work on the U.S. Capitol, created Arlington National Cemetery, and started construction on the current National Building Museum. 

So next time you’re strolling from Riverbend Park toward Great Falls, pause for a moment and you will see a work of Civil War–era engineering still in service. And next time you drive by Meigs Pl NE you can give a nod to the mand behind so many icons in DC today. 

If you’re planning to buy or sell a home soon, learn more about working with a buyer agent or request a home valuation.