See how newly-created public parks and industrial buildings repurposed as residences and restaurants are attracting locals and visitors to Capitol Riverfront, a 500-acre from-scratch neighborhood along the Anacostia River that has grown by leaps and bounds since the first developer’s shovel broke ground in 2003. Yet the area was once home to D.C. landmarks of a different sort:
- Countless members of Washington’s LGBTQ+ community danced the night away at the iconic nightclub Tracks (remember the volleyball court?).
- Thousands of government employees arrived to work each day at the Washington Navy Yard Annex and Southeast Federal Center.
- Black congregants worshiped at Saint Paul African Union Methodist Protestant (AUMP) Church starting in 1924.
- D.C.’s gay community reeled when a disasterous fire at the Cinema Follies resulted in nine deaths.
Discover not only these sites, but where other evidence of the neighborhood’s historic past can still be seen. And because absorbing D.C. history requires energy, the walking tour will conclude at Ice Cream Jubilee, a Capitol Riverfront (and Washington Walks) local business favorite. Â
What’s in the Navy Yard?
Adjacent to the residential section of Capitol Riverfront is the Washington Navy Yard, the nation’s first naval yard and first home port. In the 19th century is was the major site for U.S. naval gun manufacture. Production stopped in 1962. Today the Navy Yard serves as a ceremonial and administrative center for the U.S. Navy. The campus was designated an historic district in 1976 due to its buildings dating from 1799 to 1920. The National Museum of the U.S. Navy is located there, too!
