John Marshall Park (Washington, D.C.)

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John Marshall Park was one of the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation's projects. Landscape architects, Carol R. Johnson and Associates, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, designed John Marshall Park. The park was named in honor of John Marshall, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1801-1835, who at one time resided at the park's location.

The design concept of the park utilizes a twelve foot grade change between C Street and Pennsylvania Avenue to create three distinct areas. The upper and lower bosques are paved plazas, with the center portion kept open to maintain the important L'Enfant vista to the Old City Hall. In the upper bosque, the benches and tables are arranged around two small fountains with sculptural features commemorating the early city spring which was located at the northern end of the park and from which in 1808 water for public use was first piped through the streets of Washington. A statue of John Marshall was added to this area of the park. The park also features two life size bronze chess players by sculptor Lloyd Lillie and sculptures by David Phillips (Somerville, MA) of bronze lily pads complete with frogs, turtles, fish and dragon flies. John Marshall Park was dedicated on May 10, 1983.