BRIDGES OF WASHINGTON, D.C.

Thanks to all who have shown an interest in my new book, Bridges of Washington, D.C.: A History & Guide, by attending one of my recent author signing and presentation events! I had about 50 people at my recent presentation in Columbia, Maryland, and they seemed to all enjoy it. Thanks also to folks who have contacted me to set up more events, or to ask for my upcoming schedule.

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My next scheduled event will be on Friday, April 17, 2026 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, at Second Edition Books on Dobbin Road in Columbia, Maryland. This will be a social signing event, with books for sale, and me available to sign, answer questions, and engage in conversation about the DC bridges. I will also be bringing some large posters that display the chronology and geographic distributions of the Washington DC bridges, and have served as a good conversation starter for discussion about DC history at my other author events.

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After that, I will be at the Author's Corner for the 2026 DC History Conference, sponsored by the DC History Center at the MLK Library on Saturday, May 2, from noon to 2:00 pm.

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Further out, I have two events on Sunday, May 17. On that day, I will be signing books at Barnes & Noble in Bowie from noon to 2:00 pm, and then at Barnes & Noble on M Street in Georgetown (a multi-author DC history event) from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. Then, I will be at Arlington Historical Society for a full Powerpoint presentation on Thursday, June 11. I am also lining up some things for the Fall, including Alexandria Historical Society, and possibly Capitol Hill History Project (fingers crossed!).

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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. I am not interested in charging a fee – only in meeting folks, enjoying conversation about my hometown, and getting the word out to the community about the amazing transformations to DC’s riverfronts in the past 20 years.

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Also, see my recent blog interview with DC historian Matthew Gilmore. The interview 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 https://networks.h-net.org/group/discussions/20144592/bob-dover-interview-washington-dc-history-author-bridges-washington-dc.

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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!