Historic Anacostia

I really like this neighborhood located in the southeast section of the city and drove thru it daily for three years on my home from work. Located along the Anacostia Parkway and bordered by Fort Stanton Park, Good Hope Road S.E as well as Talbert Street S.E and Howard road S.E. this neighborhood is the home of approximately 7,950 residents with a median age of 30 years old (2010 data). The median house price here is $152,799 with 57% being occupied by renters. It has a wonderful and rich history.

Schools in the immediate neighborhood include Ketcham Elementary, Clara Muhammed School, Savoy Elementary and the Howard Road Academy. Recreational facilities include the Ketcham Recreation Center, the Wilkerson Recreation Center and Avalon Playground and the Fort Stanton Park. There are also greater than 15 churches located here as well at least 8 pharmacies and stores of various types. In addition, you will find the D.C. Public Library M.L. King Branch here along with the American Poetry Museum and the Frederick Douglas Memorial. Do not worry about eating because there are numerous places to eat in Historic Anacostia. The closet Metro Station is Anacostia station. Also, baseball fans will like it that it is within walking distance to Nationals Park. Residents with children will like the Health Services for Children clinic.

Crimes against people and property is a issue, so be sure to do your research on the current statistics to be sure that living here is a good choice for you. Hopefully crime will not cause this neighborhood to go in the wrong direction.

Historic Anacostia is a community rich in history: it was one of the original communities for freed blacks, and one that during the Great Depression served as the site of a major protest from veterans, who wanted their entitlements. It is urban, yet scenic at the same time, and since it sits on the Anacostia River, many homes have a stunning view of downtown DC with the dome of the Capitol and the Washington Monument. The river throws off a really refreshing breeze in the summer, and the area is higher than much of the city.
Anacostia High is one of the better public schools on this side of the river, and it is famous for serving as one of the battlegrounds of desegregation during the fifties. Its demographics have changed a couple times, and at present it is where many black professionals are moving in. Comprised mainly of single-family homes, the neighborhood has plenty of trees and historic brick sidewalks. It is also a place where you can find some really nice sidewalk cafes and other fine amenities. Not to say that these are highbrow, but they are pleasant. Generally, this area is middle class and enjoys a respectably low crime rate.

Historic Anacostia is a neighborhood fighting hard to get in touch with better times from its past. Once the home of middle class African American families, it has fallen on increasingly harder times in past decades. Now, however, it is striving against the odds to establish itself as the respectable part of Washington’s history it deserves to be.

Comprised of 20 city blocks now of the National Register of Historic Places because, in their own words, "The architectural character of the Anacostia area is unique in Washington. Nowhere else in the District of Columbia does there exist such a collection of late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century small-scale frame and brick working-class housing."

Unfortunately, the community has paid a price to keep its historical integrity. They successfully fought having a metro station in the neighborhood. However, in preserving the area’s historic landscape, they also denied residents easy access to jobs, and tourists easy transportation to the neighborhood.

On the other hand, because of the community’s historic designation, they have been able to get funding to replace the concrete sidewalks with more traditional brick ones and have accessed significant grants to pay for local home renovations and improvements.

So, altogether, Historic Anacostia is on the rise, and may be a cool place for someone interested in local DC history to live and work.