From its headwaters in the Monongahela National Forest and the Shenandoah National Valley, the Potomac River flows for over 400 miles between the states of Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia, passing through the District of Columbia and eventually emptying into the Chesapeake Bay. The river marks a boundary for the surrounding states and has long been a major part of the lives of their residents.
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Amid the nationwide efforts to preserve natural landmarks in the 1960s, congressional delegations from the various states around the Potomac River turned their attention to achieving some level of federal aid and protection for the waterway. Given that most of the river’s main course is within the boundary of the state of Maryland, the first leaders in this fight were congressmen and senators from the Old Line State.