Swampoodle: The Lost Irish Neighborhood Union Station Erased
A rough, all-Irish neighborhood called Swampoodle once stood where Union Station is now. The railroad cleared it, and DC forgot.
Why Is It Named…?
The origin stories behind Washington, DC street names, neighborhood names, and landmark names. Who were these places named for?
Why Is It Named Centreville?
In 1792, landowners founded Centreville to be the geographic center point between Alexandria, Georgetown, and Leesburg.
Why Is It Named Reston?
Reston takes its name from Robert E. Simon, who sold Carnegie Hall and used the proceeds to buy 6,750 acres in Fairfax in 1961.
Hains Point: How Did It Get Its Name?
Peter Conover Hains was a U.S. Army Major General who served in the Civil War, Spanish-American War, and World War I. The point carries his name.
Meridian Hill Park: A Complete History of DC’s Italian Renaissance Park
Meridian Hill Park is DC’s Italian Renaissance secret: Mary Foote Henderson’s vision, the 1922 Joan of Arc statue, and a drum circle going since 1965.
Why Is It Called Adams Morgan? The 1955 School Integration Story
Named for two segregated elementary schools, Adams and Morgan, that DC parents organized to integrate after a rock-throwing fight in 1955.
Why Is It Named Trinidad?
Northeast DC has a neighborhood named after a Caribbean island. The connection runs through the early history of George Washington University.
Exploring the History of D.C. Public Elementary Schools: Janney, Gibbs, Eaton and Watkins
Learn about the history of D.C. public elementary schools Janney, Gibbs, Eaton and Watkins. We explore the background behind their names and the people they were named for.
Washington DC Street Names: Why They’re Letters, Numbers, and States
DC’s diagonal avenues, named for states, all radiate from the Capitol. The prominent ones nearby honor the original thirteen colonies.