ANACOSTIA
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WHAT YOU'LL SEE!
Anacostia is a historic neighborhood in Washington, D.C. Its downtown is located at the intersection of Good Hope Road and Martin Luther King Jr., Avenue. Like the other quadrants of Washington, D.C., Southeast encompasses a large number of named neighborhoods, of which Anacostia and Capitol Hill are the most well known. Anacostia includes all of the Anacostia Historic District. Often the name Anacostia is incorrectly used to refer to the entire portion of the city that is southeast of the Anacostia River.
HISTORY
During the Civil War, Anacostia was protected by a series of forts upon the hills southwest of the city. Following the conclusion of the war, the forts were dismantled and the land returned to its original owners. Anacostia, always part of the District of Columbia, became a part of the city of Washington when the city and District became coterminous in 1878.
In 1932, during the Great Depression unemployed World War I veterans from all across the country marched on Washington to demand immediate payment of a bonus promised to them. The event became known as the Bonus Army Conflict. Most of the Bonus Army camped on Anacostia Flats, a swampy, muddy area along the Anacostia River later reclaimed as Anacostia Park/Fairlawn Park. Fearing civil unrest, the President ordered the military to disperse the campers from Washington.
THE GRANDEST VISTAS IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL
A spectacular vista of the city from Fort Stanton and Washington Overlook is well worth the drive across the 11th Street Bridge into Anacostia. The bridge itself claims its place in history as the escape route for Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth.
HISTORIC STREETS
You can still see 19th-century streetscapes of small frame houses with front porches and Italianate detail in the Anacostia Historic District. These were the homes of Washington Navy Yard workers who lived in what was then called Uniontown, the city's first planned suburb. Driving down Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave, you'll come across the World's Largest Chair, a neighborhood landmark since 1959.
AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE IN ANACOSTIA
Cedar Hill, the magnificently preserved home of abolitionist Frederick Douglass, stands majestically on a hilltop in historic Anacostia. The imposing Gothic Revival house, home to the celebrated orator and statesman for 18 years, provides another breathtaking view of the city. You'll also want to see the site of renowned naturalist Solomon G. Brown's home. Brown was the first African American employed at the Smithsonian Institution. And stop by Campbell AME Church, at 2562 Martin Luther King, Jr., Avenue, whose roots reach back to 1850. Don't miss the view from the church's parking lot!
This information provided courtesy of Wikipedia and Cultural Tourism DC. For additional information, visit: http://www.culturaltourismdc.org
ACTIVE LISTINGS IN ANACOSTIA
