National Park Service – Great Falls Tavern

Stretching 184.5 miles from Georgetown in Washington, DC, to Cumberland, MD, the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal offers colorful cultural, natural, and historic resources. The centerpiece of this is the Great Falls of the Potomac, which have drawn people to the river’s shore for centuries. To American Indians, a gathering place; to George Washington, an impediment to navigation; to thousands of visitors every year, an awe-inspiring sight. Throughout the generations, Great Falls Tavern has maintained a long tradition of hospitality and functions today as the Visitor’s Center. CCS performed a Comprehensive Historical Structure Report (HSR) for the historic 30,000 SF structure.  The purpose of this project was to document the Tavern’s architectural heritage and current condition to provide a baseline for future preservation efforts.  The report included comprehensive documentation of the history of the building, a conditions assessment, photographic documentation, a structural integrity analysis, code analysis, and recommendations for any conditions requiring immediate treatment.