While the parks and reservations not used by the Federal Government remained relatively unimproved and in the condition of unsightly village commons, the grounds around the public buildings of the Federal Government were given a little more attention and were gradually improved. The north grounds of the White House were fixed up in Jefferson’s administration and rearranged from time to time subsequently, but so little importance was attached to appearances that the south grounds of the White House remained unimproved through the first half of the century. It was not until after the Civil War that real importance was attached to the beautification of the grounds and the systematic planting of trees in the streets. The public buildings and grounds were turned over to the Chief of Engineers in 1867, and since that time have received a great deal more attention than ever before. In 1898 the municipal parks were transferred from the city government to the Chief of Engineers and have been systematically improved since. With the street trees and the improved city parks scattered about the central part of the city, Washington has acquired a characteristic appearance of its own and offers the charm and amenities which other American cities were not wise enough to provide for themselves. As the city grew outside of the original plan, a few projects for large and extensive parks were adopted. The beautiful Rock Creek Valley was purchased for a park and for the Zoological Garden under the act approved September 27, 1890; and provision was made by the act approved August 2, 1882, for the filling in of the Potomac tidal flats. This latter project has developed nearly 1,000 acres of reclaimed park land extensively used for recreation of all kinds. It also extended the axis of the Mall about three-fourths of a mile beyond what was originally planned, thus affording a suitable terminal in the site for the Lincoln Memorial. In 1893 the evils of new, rapidly growing subdivisions outside the limits of the L’Enfant plan--laid out without any regard to the latter--were sufficiently recognized to bring about the passage of legislation for making a highway or street plan of the entire District of Columbia. This law was further amended in 1898 and resulted in a street layout followed ever since, with modifications from time to time. But this, being a street plan, made no provision for the extension of the system of city parks into the new territory, nor for merging the newly authorized major park projects with the street system. Hence one of the major duties with which the McMillan Commission was charged in 1901 was the design of appropriate parks outside of the L’Enfant plan.