Anacostia

Anacostia is a historic neighborhood in Southeast Washington, D.C. in the United States. Its downtown area is where Marion Barry Avenue SE meets Martin Luther King Jr Avenue SE. It used to be called "Uniontown." Today, Anacostia has many interesting places. You can find shops, government buildings, art murals, galleries, a performing arts center, and a playhouse theater. One famous spot is called "The Big Chair." The neighborhood is also home to Frederick Douglass's Home, which is now a museum and historic site.

The area is located along the Anacostia River, which is where it gets its name. Most people living there are African American. Anacostia is bordered by the Southeast Freeway to the north and northwest, the Suitland Parkway to the south and southwest, and Fort Stanton and Ricketts Park to the east. The whole Anacostia Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Nearby is the Fort Stanton Park neighborhood. It is home to the Smithsonian-affiliated Anacostia Community Museum. This museum is a special part of the Smithsonian. Sometimes, people use the name "Anacostia" to talk about all the areas of the city southeast of the Anacostia River. The Anacostia Business Improvement District works to help grow and improve the neighborhood.

History

The name "Anacostia" comes from the name of an old Nacochtank village near the Anacostia River. American Indians lived in the Washington, D.C., area for thousands of years. Groups like the Nacotchtank were part of the Conoy people.

Captain John Smith explored the area in 1608. Before Europeans came, these villages were busy places where many Native Americans traded.

The area now called Anacostia was made a town called Uniontown in 1854. It was built for workers, many from the Navy Yard. In 1877, the famous freedom fighter Frederick Douglass bought a home there, now the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site. In 1886, Uniontown was renamed Anacostia.

During the Civil War, forts helped protect Anacostia. After the war, the forts were taken down.

In the 1960s, a highway was built that changed the neighborhood. Many new homes were built and the neighborhood’s people changed a lot.

Today, Anacostia has fun places for kids and families, like an ice skating rink that is open all year and a place where sports and learning come together. There are also special events, such as a yearly parade to honor Martin Luther King Jr..

Geography

Anacostia’s downtown area is where Marion Barry Avenue (once called Good Hope Road) meets Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. It is a well-known neighborhood in the Southeast part of Washington, D.C. It sits east of the Anacostia River, which gives the area its name.

Demographics

As of the 2010 Census, most people living in Anacostia are African-American. They make up about 92% of the population. About 5% are from non-Hispanic White backgrounds, and the remaining 3% are from other groups.

Landmarks

The Anacostia Historic District is a special area listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has many old buildings from the 1800s that look like they belonged to workers from that time.

One famous spot in Anacostia is a very big chair called "The Big Chair". It was put there in 1957 by a furniture company. The chair had to be fixed in 2005 but came back the next year.

Industry

Joint Base Anacostia–Bolling, once known as Bolling Air Force Base and Naval Support Facility Anacostia, is found in this area.

Tourism

The Anacostia Waterfront Initiative began in 2000 to improve a large area along the Anacostia River. This area is 45 acres and includes plans for new parks, places to tie up canoes, a playground, and a special area to remember people who helped during 9/11. There will also be a learning center about the river’s history and environment. This center will be a big two-story building with a green roof, classrooms, labs, and more. The project is managed by the Anacostia Waterfront Corporation.

Hospitals

Anacostia has two hospitals. St. Elizabeths Hospital is over 100 years old. The United Medical Center was once named Greater Southeast Community Hospital.

Education

The public schools in Anacostia are run by District of Columbia Public Schools. Anacostia High School is the main high school for the area, and Ballou High School is in southern Anacostia. There are also several middle and elementary schools, including Thurgood Marshall Academy.

Culture

The Anacostia Museum, part of the Smithsonian Institution, opened in 1967. It tells stories about the community and its past.

The Anacostia Arts Center and Honfleur Gallery display art from well-known artists and local artists. They also hold a poetry event called Intersections, with help from the American Poetry Museum. The District of Columbia Public Library operates the Anacostia Neighborhood Library for everyone to use.

Cedar Hill, the home of Frederick Douglass, a famous person who fought against unfair treatment, sits on a hill above the neighborhood. The Anacostia Playhouse hosts many events and shows, working with groups like Theater Alliance.

Cultural reference

The 2007 film Talk to Me, based on the life of Ralph Waldo 'Petey' Greene, includes a character named Dewey Hughes. He talks about growing up in Anacostia and learning skills to succeed in school. The movie is set in the late 1960s.

Transportation

Anacostia is easy to reach by train. The Anacostia Metro station is a short 10-minute ride on the Washington Metro’s Green Line from downtown Washington. Other Metro stations on the Green and Orange lines also serve parts of Greater Anacostia.

The highway I-295 runs through the neighborhood and connects to DC 295 to the north, forming the Anacostia Freeway.