Operation Overview and the Creation of Piscataway Park

Abstract

During the post–World War II period, a combination of individuals and institutions worked together to secure the permanent stewardship of the vista visible across the Potomac River from George Washington’s Mount Vernon plantation. Called “Operation Overview,” the campaign resulted in the creation of the only unit of the National Park System designed to protect the viewshed from a historic property. The establishment of Piscataway Park required cooperation, creativity, and compromise among those parties interested in stabilizing the setting of the iconic view from Washington’s home.