BRIDGES OF WASHINGTON, D.C.

DC Bridge Book Tour Update!

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First, my presentation last week for the Arlington Historical Society, titled Bridges of Washington, D.C.: The Virginia Side, was recorded and can be seen at https://arlhist.org/event/bridges-of-washington-dc-the-virginia-side/. There were about 60 people attending/watching, with many great questions.

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Also last week, I found that I had been quoted in a June 12 New York Times article about the monumental arch proposed on the Arlington Memorial Bridge. The reporter called and asked me for some details and documentation of the history of the bridge dating back to the 1830s, and I was glad to oblige – but was never expecting to be cited in the NY Times by name!

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Then, this morning (Saturday, June 20), I had a great morning at the Kensington Farmers’ Market, selling and signing a bunch of books, and handing out dozens of postcards to people interested in attending one of my upcoming events. For those with kids, I shared the table with Gary Rosen, the author of “Just Like Me”, a lovely new kids book about the adventures of his daughter’s hedgehog, PopTart. And yes, the real PopTart made an appearance and hung out for a while - I am pretty sure this is why so many people were attracted to our table!

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The tour for my book, Bridges of Washington, D.C.: A History & Guide continues tomorrow with a presentation for a private neighborhood group near Dupont Circle, and then on Sunday, June 28, at 2:00 pm, I will be doing the full presentation at the Kensington Row Bookshop. The link for more information on the Kensington Row event is https://www.kensingtonrowbookshop.com.

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Further out, I have a full presentation at the DC Public Library Takoma Park Neighborhood Branch on August 6 (6:00 pm), and will be at the Laurel History Boys Book Fair on August 23, from 3:00 to 5:00.

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A reminder that I still have a blog interview and a podcast available online. The blog interview with DC historian Matthew Gilmore is posted at https://matthewbgilmore.wordpress.com/2026/03/09/bob-dover-interview-with-a-washington-dc-history-author-bridges-of-washington-d-c-a-history-guide/ and the Rock, Paper, Write podcast associated with the Kensington Row local authors group is available at https://www.kensingtonrowauthors.com/podcast. As always, continue to follow www.bridgespotting.com, the Bridgespotting Facebook page, and the Bridges of Washington, DC Facebook group, where I rotate color photos of the DC bridges and post updates on coming events!

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If you are part of a group, or know of a group, who wants to hear a presentation about the book, please contact me! The full presentation is about an hour long, and goes through the chronology of bridge construction in DC from the 1750s to today, and into the future. Not just facts and figures about the bridges, the presentation is really about the history of the District of Columbia itself, and how this history is reflected in the bridges that were constructed. The presentation also includes dozens of lovely photos of the DC bridges, showing the aesthetic forms of the structures, the stunning statues and decorations on the older bridges, the nighttime lighting on the newer bridges, and the historic importance of many of the structures.