Anacostia Historic District

By: Eli Alford Jr.

Image Information

Caption: Anacostia, D.C. Frederick Douglass housing project. Boys overlooking the project

Original Source: Parks, Gordon, 1912- photographer.

Location: LC-US F34- 013368-C P&P

URL: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?fsaall:18:./temp/~pp_xnXF::@@@mdb=fsaall,app,brum,detr,swann,look,gottscho,pan,horyd,genthe,var,cai,cd,hh,yan,bbcards,lomax,ils,prok,brhc,nclc,matpc,iucpub,tgmi,lamb

Description:

The Anacostia Historic District was one of Washington’s first suburban communities. Uniontown, as it formerly named because of its affiliation with the Union Land Company, was built in 1854 for the white working at the Naval Yard. This community banned the “sale, rental or lease of property to any Negro, Mulatto, or anyone of African or Irish descent.”Included in this historic district is Fredrick Douglass’ home Cedar Hill, The Barry Farms/Hillsdale community and the Smithsonian Institutions Anacostia Museum. In recent years the Anacostia Historic District has shown the effects of disinvestment and neglect.

African American Role:

The Anacostia Historic District is an important location in South East because it shows the dramatic population shift during the late 19th century. “In, 1880 approximately 15 percent of the residents were African American and today probably 99 percent.” This district contains some of the most important structures for blacks in Washington D.C. that tell a narrative larger than the community. This community laid the groundwork for the African American occupation of South East Washington, and continues to be a reminder of black exclusion in the district.

References:

Anacostia History. http://xroads.virginia.edu/~cap/ANACOSTIA/recon.html.

Anacostia Historic District, http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/wash/dc90.htm.

D.C. Preservation, Anacostia Historic District. http://www.dcpreservation.org/endangered/2004/anacostia.html