1 8 8 9 , ▁President ▁Benjamin ▁Harrison ▁appointed ▁John ▁Wat kin son ▁Doug lass ▁and ▁Lem on ▁Gal pin ▁H ine ▁to ▁the ▁D . C . ▁Commission ▁to ▁replace ▁Whe at ley ▁and ▁William ▁Ben ning ▁Web b , ▁whose ▁terms ▁had ▁exp ired . ▁The ▁new ▁commission ers ▁and ▁their ▁new ▁assistant ▁engineer , ▁Captain ▁Thomas ▁W . ▁Sym ons , ▁were ▁highly ▁enthus i astic ▁about ▁the ▁new ▁bridge . ▁ ▁The ▁new ▁Pennsylvania ▁Avenue ▁Bridge , ▁as ▁it ▁became ▁known , ▁was ▁complete ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 8 9 0 . ▁The ▁E W CA ▁decided , ▁however , ▁to ▁delay ▁the ▁bridge ' s ▁formal ▁dedic ation ▁and ▁opening ▁until ▁August ▁ 2 5 , ▁which ▁was ▁the ▁anni versary ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 8 0 5 ▁bridge ' s ▁destruction ▁in ▁the ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 8 1 2 . ▁The ▁new ▁bridge ' s ▁dedic ation ▁was ▁a ▁major ▁event ▁in ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁ ▁Some ▁ 8 , 0 0 0 ▁to ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁people ▁attended ▁the ▁event , ▁which ▁included ▁a ▁half - hour ▁art illery ▁sal ute ▁from ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army ' s ▁Light ▁B atter y ▁A , ▁a ▁para de ▁from ▁Capit ol ▁Hill ▁to ▁the ▁bridge ' s ▁north western ▁termin us , ▁a ▁reg atta , ▁and ▁fire works . ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁Marine ▁Band , ▁conducted ▁by ▁John ▁Philip ▁S ous a ,