ANACOSTIA
HISTORY
Historic Anacostia was first incorporated in 1854 as Uniontown. The neighborhood was protected during the Civil War by a series of forts, which were later dismantled. Despite its early status as a white-only deed restricted community, Fredrick Douglass was a notable 19th century resident. Even as Anacostia’s population expanded and demographics shifted in the mid-20th century, the neighborhood retained its 19th century low-scale character.
Anacostia was originally home to the Nacotchtank Indians, who gave the neighborhood its name. It eventually became Uniontown, a suburb of Washington that housed workers at nearby military and manufacturing sites. By the 1960s, the neighborhood had become poor, overcrowded and lacking in services. The Anacostia Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, but the area’s decline continued into the 1980s and ’90s as drugs plagued the neighborhood.
The name Anacostia derives from the area's early history as Nacochtank, a settlement of Necostan or Anacostan Indians on the banks of the Anacostia River. Captain John Smith recorded in his journals that he sailed up the Eastern Branch or Anacostia River in 1608 in his search for the main branch of the Potomac River and was well received by these Native Americans.
Today, the Anacostia Historic District is an area of approximately 20 squares in southeast Washington. Uniontown, the core of the historic district was incorporated in 1854 and was one of the first suburbs in the District of Columbia. It was designed to be financially available to Washington's working class, most of who were employed across the river at the Navy Yard. The initial subdivision of 1854 carried restrictive covenants prohibiting the sale, rental or lease of property to any Negro, Mulatto, or anyone of African or Irish descent. However, by 1880 approximately 15 percent of the residents were African American and today probably 99 percent. The historic district retains much of its mid-to-late 19th-century low scale, working class character as is shown in its architecture.
LOCATION
For years, many Washingtonians thought “Anacostia” referred to every neighborhood east of the Anacostia River. But Anacostia, Zip code 20020, is a specific neighborhood bordered by the Anacostia Freeway (Interstate 295) to the northwest, Good Hope Road to the northeast, Fort Stanton Park to the southeast and Morris Road to the southwest. The historic district covers roughly the same area.
Schools: Savoy Elementary, Kramer Middle and Anacostia High.
SPEND A DAY
Grab brunch before the matinee at Art-drenaline365 Café, located in the Anacostia Arts Center. They have a full menu including Smoked Salmon Benedict, Dipped French Toast, and Omelets with your choices of filling. Their brunch ends at 1, which leaves you plenty of time to walk over to the Playhouse—only two blocks away—to catch the 2pm performance. You’ll even have time to check out one of the many galleries and shops inside the Arts Center.
After the matinee, grab a smoothie from Turning Natural Juice Bar, and enjoy DC’s famous Spring weather as you stroll over to the Smithsonian operated Anacostia Community Museum or the National Park Service run Frederick Douglass House. The Anacostia Community Museum has exhibits about Black life and activism, both in Anacostia, and DC at large. This weekend you can check out their exhibit on life in DC from 1963-1975, years that shaped this city and changed the nation. Want to tour famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass’ house? You can plan ahead and get a reservation to see inside, or roam the grounds and get incredible views of the city, like this one, for free.
Since both museums close at 5—and you’ve been walking so you’re probably hungry—stop by any number of the locally owned restaurants along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Good Hope Road. Love Pizza? Mama’s Pizza Kitchen sells it by the pie or the slice, as well as lasagna, sandwiches, and barbecue. Seafood more your thing? Capitol Hill Crab Cakes serves fresh crab, fish, shrimp along with chicken and waffles and a host of sides. If you like cocktails, Uniontown Bar and Grill and Cheers at the Big Chair have fully stocked bars and daily food and drink specials. And if happen to have a traffic ticket with you, Caribbean Citations will give you a discount on your whole order!
As it gets closer to 8, swing back to Shannon Place and grab your seat for the evening show. Stay after the performance to chat with our staff and artists about the shows, then go tell your friends about the awesome Saturday you spent in Anacostia.
Here are 14 things not to miss in Anacostia if you have more than one day to explore:
1-Learn about DC history at the Anacostia Community Museum
Susana Raab / Anacostia Community Museum
Local artists and thought leaders tell the story of the neighborhood at this museum. Don't be surprised if you happen to meet one of the curators on any given day. Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum regularly hosts films, festivals and events, too. Take Metro’s Green Line to Anacostia and ride the W2 and W3 Metrobus to the building. In summertime, ride the free weekend shuttle there from the National Mall (it also stops at Frederick Douglass National Historic Site and the Anacostia Art Center).
Please note that the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum will be closed for renovations from March 15, 2019 through mid-October 2019. The renovations will include enhancing the museum’s accessibility, parking and main entrance.
2-Take a tour of Cedar Hill, the home of Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
Anacostia is a historically black community with ties to one of the most prominent African Americans in history. Born into slavery and eventually freed, statesman Frederick Douglass traveled the nation to speak out against slavery. When he wasn't traveling he was residing atop Cedar Hill at his home, which you can tour throughout the day. Plan your visit with the tour schedule or order tickets in advance for a small fee. If you don’t get in for a tour, you can always marvel at the panoramic views of the city from Douglass' home.
3-Relish a game or a show at the Entertainment and Sports Arena
The newest, most lavish addition to Anacostia is the Entertainment and Sports Arena, which will serve as the home venue for the Washington Mystics and the Capital City Go-Go, as well as the practice facility for the Washington Wizards. In addition, the state-of-the-art arena will host concerts. Check their events calendar to see what else is in store.
4-Enjoy the scene at the Anacostia Arts Center
This community space opened in 2013 and features Black Box Theater, Vivid Solutions Gallery and other boutique and pop-up spaces. Experience an edgy art exhibit, peruse the racks of a vintage shop or see what healthful eats you can munch on from The Art-drenaline Café. Note that the Anacostia Arts Center is closed on Mondays.
5-Pay tribute to Anacostia’s roots at Uniontown Bar & Grill
Before it was called Anacostia, this District subdivision was known as Uniontown. The name lives on at the Uniontown Bar & Grill, where the Southeast set goes for fried catfish sandwiches, chicken and waffles and the robust house Angus burger.
6-Get your phone out and snap a pic of the Big Chair
Built in 1959 as a sitting billboard to the long-closed Curtis Brothers Furniture store stands all 19 feet of the Big Chair. It has since been refurbished and is arguably one of the most iconic sights in the neighborhood. You can find it in all its glory standing on the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and V Street SE.
7-Celebrate the community at the Anacostia River Festival
If you’re visiting around April, you won’t want to miss the Anacostia River Festival, which caps off the three-week-long National Cherry Blossom Festival. Be there and enjoy tours through the neighborhood, art projects, live music, fishing workshops and other events celebrating the environment and area.
8-Rent a bike and ride (or walk) along the river trailsDistrict Department of Transportation
Anacostia is especially bike-friendly. Rent a bike from Bike and Roll or Capital Bikeshare, and take either the Frederick Douglass Memorial or 11th Street bridges to the east side of the river (anywhere on this Google Bike Map). Wind through curves surrounded by verdant foliage, and you’ll feel like you have your very own nature preserve to yourself. The bike trail runs all the way to Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens.
9-Catch some fresh air at Kenilworth Park & Gardens
About five miles northeast of Anacostia, you’ll find this natural wonder. Come for a visit, and you’ll likely share the park with photographers, birders and even dog-walkers. Enjoy summer flowers, which bloom between late May through September. Mornings are the best times to see the famed water lilies and lotuses. For wildlife, be on the lookout from October through March, when lack of foliage makes birding for bald eagles easier. From Anacostia, the best way to get there is via a rideshare app like Uber, on bike or on the V2 Metrobus. Otherwise, take the Orange Line to the nearby Deanwood Metro station.
10-Imitate art by visiting the sculpture "Journey Anacostia"
Located at 1201 Good Hope Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, this art installation echoes Anacostia's diverse history and heritage. The work was created to “establish a dialogue on the interconnection of the past, present and future of Anacostia.” Wilfredo Valladares created the work of art, which was unveiled in the summer of 2013. Imitate art by visiting the sculpture "Journey Anacostia."
11-Rent a kayak on the Capitol Riverfront
Want to keep your visit to Anacostia strictly nautical? Head to the Ballpark Boathouse in Yards Park, and rent a kayak. You can cruise along the shoreline of the Anacostia River at your own pace and enjoy plenty of wildlife and nature. If you have your own canoe, kayak or boat, you can embark on the Anacostia from the boat ramp at the north end of Anacostia Drive SE.
12-See what’s on stage at the Anacostia Playhouse
Productions on the main stage at the Anacostia Playhouse often feature the work of local playwrights and small theater companies. Set in a warehouse that can accommodate as many as 120 guests, the space also hosts concerts and spoken word, among other performances. The playhouse is only five blocks from the Anacostia Metro stop.
13-Discover literary treasures at MahoganyBooks
MahoganyBooks is an independent bookstore dedicated to sharing literature “written for, by, or about people of the African Diaspora.” What began as an online-only store more than a decade ago has blossomed into a nationally renowned brick-and-mortar shop inside the Anacostia Arts Center that plays host to community book events featuring African American authors. Make sure to check their blog for the latest updates and bestsellers.
14-Lace up some roller skates at Anacostia Park
Anacostia Park has something that all of its fellow National Parks don't: a roller skating pavilion. Experience life on four wheels per foot, when visiting the park in summer. The best part about this old pastime is that skate rentals are free! Check to see skate times and consider visiting at dusk on the weekends for a dance party-like atmosphere complete with funk and hip-hop tunes.
CURRENT AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
Reunion Square, a mixed-use project in Anacostia planned for years by D.C.-based developer Four Points, could finally be completed as the result of an economic development deal Mayor Muriel Bowser says her administration has helped broker. At 1.5 million square feet, the full development would feature apartments, retail, and office space near Martin Luther King Jr. and Railroad avenues, Shannon Place, and V and W streets SE. The site is under a 10-minute walk from the neighborhood’s Metro stop, served by the Green Line, and close to bus routes.
In a release Tuesday, Bowser’s office said in June she would propose tax-increment financing(TIF) legislation to support Reunion Square. If green-lighted by the D.C. Council, this would become the first TIF in Ward 8, the municipal area that covers much of Southeast east of the Anacostia River. (TIFs are development subsidies backed by anticipated future tax revenue.)
Bowser had advanced a similar bill last year, but it was tabled after Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White expressed concerns about how many affordable units the project would have, how many jobs it would create for Ward 8 residents, and how many local businesses it would house. White now says he is satisfied with changes Four Points made to its plans for the site.
The Menkiti Group A rendering of MLK Gateway, The Menkiti Group's development planned in Anacostia Menkiti Group CEO Bo Menkiti, the developer behind Anacostia's MLK Gateway project, said he is aiming to strike the right balance between national chains and local businesses as he looks to fill out the project's retail space. "Having a few national tenants is good. It brings proven operators who can sustain and thrive and also provides credit enhancement to a project that makes it able for one to engage local businesses," Menkiti said. "We believe, ultimately, it's the local neighborhood flavor that creates the place. We want to make sure its local, neighborhood-serving retail with appropriate and strong national tenants mixed in." Menkiti said he expects construction to begin on MLK Gateway early next year. The project at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Good Hope Road is slated to include 22K SF of retail and 28,500 SF of office space. The developer reached a deal with Enlightened, a minority-owned cybersecurity consulting group, to move its headquarters from Northwest D.C. to the project, a move Menkiti said will help boost the neighborhood's retail businesses. “It’s critical to have daytime activity and traffic, and this will add to that,” Menkiti said. “It’s really important to activate and make it more of an 18-hour neighborhood where there’s actually activity in the day and during the evenings. It sends a powerful message that a technology company doing innovative things would choose to locate in Anacostia.” Menkiti said it is still early in his project's life cycle to sign retail tenants, but he is targeting a market, a sit-down restaurant, a café and other local retailers. Gautier said multiple small businesses working in Arch Development's incubators have discussed potentially moving into the retail space at MLK Gateway. He said aspiring retail operators in the neighborhood have struggled to find available space to meet their needs. "That’s one of the problems in Anacostia, there is really not the sort of retail space currently, although it's being developed for people to expand," Gautier said. Curtis Investments, Four Points A rendering of the next building planned at Anacostia's Reunion Square development Another project going through planning will bring retail and office space to the W Street SE and Shannon Place intersection, one block off on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. The building, slated to include 281K SF of office and 7K SF of retail, would be the fourth of nine planned buildings at Reunion Square, a complex currently occupied by multiple D.C. agencies. Curtis and Four Points submitted the plan for the project in March, and they are still going through the Zoning Commission process. The development team has not said if it would break ground speculatively or wait for leases before starting construction. A few blocks west on Poplar Point, Redbrick LMD is hoping to lure a major office tenant to its planned five-building Columbian Quarter project. The 2.3M SF development was included in D.C.'s Amazon HQ2 bid and has been in the running for at least two 1M SF-plus federal agencies, but it is currently stalled in court by an appeal. Landing a tech giant or major government agency could escalate the pace of Anacostia's development. But even without a big office win, Gautier is still optimistic about the new retail businesses that will come to the projects planned in the neighborhood. “They are definitely going to bring in retail space that I believe will be filled by the time they’re built,” Gautier said of the planned developments. “These things are not going to be done until 2021 to 2025, which gives us a lot of time to develop the right retail for them.”
HOMES
Unsurprisingly, housing prices in the neighborhood have been rising. Last year, Anacostia’s zip code experienced one of the greatest increases in median home prices throughout the Washington region. I investors looking to renovate homes have begun targeting the area.
Located right across from the Navy Yard, Anacostia real estate is a mix of historic, and sometimes eclectic, row houses like the famous, colorful houses of Rosie's Row. Homes for sale in Anacostia include Victorian single-family homes, cottages and condominiums, as well as upscale, modern apartments in the newer developments. Whether you're looking for historic or modern housing, there's a little of each in the Anacostia neighborhood, with residents mainly consisting of families and young professionals.