anacostia

This same photo appears on Page 376 of the March 21, 1921 issue of Aviation and Aircraft Journal, Vol. X. No. 12, with the following caption:

THE FIRST LINK IN THE AMERICAN MODEL AIRWAY; DC 1, THE MARKER FOR WASHINGTON, D.C. - Photo U.S. Army Air Service

The accompanying story begins on that page, reads:

Opening Exercises of America's First Airway

The inauguration exercises in connection with the preparation of the model American Airway which is to extend from Washington, D.C., to Dayton, Ohio, via Moundsville, West Virginia, and Columbus, Ohio took place at Bolling Field, Anacostia, D.C., on Feb. 12, 1921.

There were approximately one thousand Boy Scouts there. The Boy Scout organization is to assist the U.S. Army Air Service in the preparation of this route by clearing the landing fields selected and establishing proper identification markers on them. There were a number of very distinguished people present, prominent among them were Brig. Gen. William Mitchell, Mr. Huston Thompson, Mr. Isaac Gans, Mr. Edward D. Shaw, Mr. A.G. Batchelder and others.

After the huge marker "D.C. 1" had been laid and whitewashed by the Boy Scouts a talk on what air transportation means now and in the future and how the airways of the United States serve the airplane just as the road ways serve the automobile was given by Brig. Gen. William Mitchell. . . .

This photo, also just posted by the LoC, of General William "Billy" Mitchell (US Army Air Service), would also seem to tie in to the aforementioned event. Note the speaking platform on the berm in the distance in the photo above, and the photo of Mitchell below:


Here's more on the event and the "Model Airway," along with another photo of Mitchell:
AvStop.com - Scouts Lay Cornerstone for Model Airway

Gen. William "Billy" Mitchell (US Army Air Service) speaking at Bolling Field on February 12, 1921. See:

Other Bain photos of Mitchell: www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/30902532225/ www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/32110231420/ www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/34742983512/

Photo of the Loening XSL-1 (BuNo A-8696) taken at Naval Air Station Anacostia (NAS Anacostia). Note the Anacostia River in the background, and across the river, the then- Army War College's (now known as the National War College) Roosevelt Hall.