Rock Creek Park - mega historic bouldering route

Currently reading a book titled “The Big Burn - Teddy Roosevelt & the fire that saved America”.  While the following quote isn’t dated it occurred sometime(s) during 1901-1909.

“Ideas that would shape American life for a century where hatched in Rock Creek Park, which Teddy and G.P. (Gifford Pinchot) treated like a big backyard.  New advisers were taken to the Crack, a fissure in a rock wall on the West Bank of the Creek, and shown how to climb.  If you made it, you belonged.”

110+ years ago the President of the United States was highballing in a local park.  How amazing is that?

I’m in the other side of the country but would love to know more about “The Crack”.   If any DC locals can identify and post up on this line I’d think a lot of people might find that extremely interesting. Thanks!

I like it!  Guys actual climbing.  Side pull.  Foot jam.  Any context on the photo?   

Isidnar wrote:

The line for this boulder looks like Gunsmoke on a Saturday afternoon.

That's Pulpit Rock in Rock Creek Park.

Here's a bigger version of the photo...Teddy's doing well on the crack, but the guy in the bowler near the bottom is really getting it on.

ubu wrote: That's Pulpit Rock in Rock Creek Park.

No, pulpit rock is further south along the river. That rock that TR is climbing on is a slabby portion just off the drive at the boulder bridge. You can tell by looking at the massive flake on the right, which the men are lining up to climb near, and the slabby, incut holds in the forefront, which TR was trying to climb. It looks a bit different here cause mine was taken from below the bridge level, whereas the historical photo was probably taken from on top of the bridge, so different angle. The holds and the rock looks undoubtedly the same to me as this photo here.

Yeah, I agree, this is super interesting. I stumbled upon this photo and located it (mentioned in a comment above) to be right off of the boulder bridge of Beach Dr. I've been to the area climbing a couple times since (there's actually a much better, harder boulder just out of shot of the historical photo), and am absolutely sure that it's the same location. The slab though actually isn't very fun - it's pretty easy, and that flake, while massive, is a little more overgrown than it was in that photo lol (it's been about 100 years lol).