"Anacostia River Trail" by NPS photo: M.Marquez , public domain
AnacostiaPark - District of Columbia |
Anacostia is a historic neighborhood in Washington, D.C. Its downtown is located at the intersection of Good Hope Road and Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue. It is located east of the Anacostia River, after which the neighborhood is named. Like the other quadrants of Washington, D.C., Southeast encompasses a large number of named neighborhoods, of which Anacostia is the most well known. Anacostia includes all of the Anacostia Historic District that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
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maps
Official Visitor Map of Civil War Defenses of Washington in District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
Official Visitor Map of Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (NHP) in Washington D.C., Maryland and West Virginia. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
Map of the U.S. National Park System. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
Map of the U.S. National Park System with DOI's Unified Regions. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
Map of the U.S. National Heritage Areas. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
brochures
Official Brochure of Anacostia Park in the District of Columbia. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
https://www.nps.gov/anac/index.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anacostia
Anacostia is a historic neighborhood in Washington, D.C. Its downtown is located at the intersection of Good Hope Road and Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue. It is located east of the Anacostia River, after which the neighborhood is named. Like the other quadrants of Washington, D.C., Southeast encompasses a large number of named neighborhoods, of which Anacostia is the most well known. Anacostia includes all of the Anacostia Historic District that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
Welcome to Anacostia Park, your neighborhood national park in the heart of Washington, DC! Enjoy exercise along the river trail or relax by the water, Anacostia Park is a breath of fresh air and a space to unwind amid a bustling city.
Anacostia Park is located in South East Washington DC running parallel to the Anacostia river. The park can be accessed from the South Capitol bridge over the Anacostia river across from the Nationals baseball stadium. You can also enter the park from the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (295). You can enter the park from Good Hope Road or from Nicholson Street.
Anacostia Drive
Aerial view of Anacostia Drive and the playground
Anacostia Drive and the Anacostia river Trail run along side the Anacostia river. Views of the Navy Yard and Nats. Stadium can be seen as across the river.
Recreation at Anacostia
A few men are playing basketball at Anacostia with the Anacostia River in the background.
Anacostia is a great place for sports, including basketball and tennis courts.
The Anacostia River Trail
A view of the Anacostia River and a marina from the Anacostia River Trail.
The Anacostia River trail is a wonderful paved trail that is great for biking, jogging and walking.
The Anacostia Skating Pavilion
A sidewalk approaches the Anacostia skating pavilion.
The Anacostia skating pavilion is a great place to roller skate. It is an open-air rink that has a cover for rain and sun protection.
Bring your dog to the park!
A man jogs his two dogs along a paved multi-use trial.
The Anacostia River trail is a great place to bring your dog for some exercise. Dogs must be on a leash and please clean up after your pet.
Bonus Expeditionary Forces March on Washington
In the depths of the Great Depression, a dramatic showdown between jobless WWI veterans, lawmakers, the police, and the Army played out in Washington, DC.
Protesters and police clash in Washington, DC.
Summer in the Parks (1968-1976)
What began as a summer transportation program to send DC urban youth to Catoctin and Prince William Forest Parks in 1966 grew to a city-wide summer-long festival attracting residents to parks in every quadrant of the city. After the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., the program took on an additional role to help save a city from destroying itself.
A group of boys smiles for the camera
Crystal Clear: Anacostia Urban Waters Federal Partnership
The Anacostia Urban Waters Partnership works with local stakeholder groups to understand their organizations and share how the federal agencies can support local goals and objectives.
Children paddle in a canoe down a calm river.
Links to the Past
In the summer of 2016 the National Park Service began a study on the history and design of the National Park Service golf courses at East Potomac Park, Rock Creek Park, and Langston. The study will provides historical information and will be used as a planning tool for the ongoing management and public use of these golf courses.
A man instructs boys in golf
Cultural Landscapes and Community Well-Being: An Interview with ParkRx's Anne O'Neill
The idea that spending time in green spaces can improve our health is not new. What if doctors prescribed activities in parks as a path to wellness? The Park Cultural Landscapes Program recently talked with Anne O'Neill, an Outdoor Recreation Planner for the NPS, about her work with the National ParkRx Initiative in Washington, DC.
A group of individuals of varying ages do Zumba on a paved area of Meridian Hill Park.
Ash Tree Update 2017
The state of ash trees in 2017 in the National Capital Region after more than 10 years of harm from the invasive emerald ash borer.
A white ash leaf
Oak Decline
Learn more about oak decline where a host of stressors interact to weaken trees over time, leading to what becomes "death by a thousand cuts."
Looking up into the canopy of a mature oak showing symptoms of oak decline.
Forest Soils
Highlights from a 2007-2017 study of soils in National Capital Region Network I&M-monitored parks. Includes discussion of parent materials, heavy metal soil pollutants like lead, and how past land use effects O horizons.
Collage of 6 color photos of soil profiles showing colors from orange-y reds to browns and grays.
Spotted Lanternfly 101
What you need to know about spotted lanternfly: a new, invasive, insect pest approaching the National Parks of the Mid-Atlantic.
A spotted lanternfly with wings spread showing namesake spots
Series: Crystal Clear: A Call to Action
In 2016, the nation celebrates the centennial of the National Park Service (NPS) as the steward of special places that represent our natural and cultural heritage. Many national parks were founded on the beauty and value of water. Since the preservation of the Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park in 1872, the National Park System has grown to include significant examples within majestic rivers, the Great Lakes, oceans and coasts, and other spectacular water resources.
bright blue lake green islands in between
Brood X Periodical Cicadas FAQ
Learn about the Brood X periodical cicadas that emerged in 2021 throughout the Mid-Atlantic U.S.
A perched periodical cicada with red eyes and orange wings
Forest Regeneration 2020
What is the future of our forests? A look at forest regeneration capacity in National Capital Area national parks based on 2020 monitoring data.
hand holding a leaflet on a white ash seedling
National Capital PRISM and Invasive Species
Since invasive species don’t recognize park boundaries, we need to work together with our partners, neighbors, and other federal and state entities to manage across borders. We can’t do it alone!
a hand holds a rosette of green leaves over the water
Sea Level Rise in the DC Area
Learn about current and projected rates of sea level rise in the greater DC area, based on local water level data collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
A tall white cylinder attached to a wooden pier with Hains Point in the background.
Forest Regeneration 2021
The latest look at forest regeneration capacity in National Capital Area national parks based on monitoring data from 2021.
Green forest showing healthy understory of oak seedlings.
Ash Tree Update 2021
Emerald ash borer (EAB) has killed most of the 300,000 ash trees in National Capital Region parks since 2014. Fewer than 80,000 living ash trees remain. Some ash-dominated swamps transformed into shrublands as ash root systems re-sprouted after EAB attack. In dry habitats, EAB proved more quickly fatal.
A sunny swamp with dead tree trunks emerging from dense shrubs
Vines on Trees at Forest Edges
Learn how climbing vines affect tree growth and mortality in National Capital Region park forests. This material was originally presented in a 2016 resource brief.
Vines climb on trees at the forest edge at Rock Creek's Barnard Hill Park.
The Modern Civil Rights Movement in the National Capital Area
The national capital area’s everyday people contributed to the overall success of the modern Civil Rights Movement. From students to pastors, lawyers to teachers, parents and every-day people planned efforts between the 1950s to the 1960s to eliminate segregation and the discrimination.
Civil Rights leaders surrounded by journalists and media.
Malcolm X Day in Anacostia Park
For over 23 years, May 19th was a tremendous day in Anacostia Park. To celebrate pioneering civil rights activist Malcom X’s birthday, tens of thousands of people would come to the park. They came to hear activists, artists, community leaders and more. Beginning in 1972, the message of the yearly event was to celebrate and create unity in the surrounding community. The events featured community organizing, art, music, and a general celebration of culture.
people gather for Malcolm X Day
Forest Regeneration 2022
Tree seedlings and small saplings are still in short supply in National Capital Region national parks. A look at forest regeneration capacity based on monitoring data from 2022.
Sunlight filtering through a green forest with green seedlings covering most of the forest floor.
Subsistence Fishing on the Potomac and Anacostia
Subsistence fishing (where fishers keep what they catch) is an important use of parks in the greater Washington, DC area. Learn more about who these subsistence fishers are, what they're catching, and their motivations. Information presented comes from "Ethnographic Resource Study Subsistence Fishing on the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers" (2020).
Color photo of a man holding a catfish, still attached to the hook, that he has just reeled in.
Ash Tree Update 2022
Emerald ash borer are still decimating ash trees in the National Capital Region. Read on for the latest look into the state of ash trees in our parks based on forest monitoring data.
Metallic emerald ash borer beetle atop a chewed leaf
Series: A Timeline of Resistance: The Perseverance of African Americans from the Revolutionary War to the Civil Rights Era
The story of African American’s fight for equality did not begin or end with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. In the National Capital Area, dedicated activism and self-determination has been documented since the Revolutionary War through the present day. This series consists of six articles that outline distinct timelines of resistance and activism in the fight for freedom.
A young African American girl gazes at the camera holding a banner for the March on Washington
Seep Shrimp
Learn about the tiny creatures that live in our forest's seeps.
three researchers in high-vis yellow gear search for shrimp in a snowy forest
Forest Regeneration 2023
Tree seedlings and small saplings are slowly increasing in National Capital Region national parks. A look at forest regeneration capacity based on monitoring data from 2023.
Three people stand in a forest, smiling and pointing to a large tree trunk between them.
When Forests Come Down with a Bug: Forest Pests in the Greater DC Area
Beech leaf disease, emerald ash borer, spotted lanternfly, spongy moth, oak decline and oak wilt are all pests present in National Capital Region (NCR) park forests. Learn about their effects and spread based on NCR Inventory & Monitoring data, and get the heads up on elm zigzag sawfly and beech bark disease.
A black and red insect sits on a leaf.
Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park Service
To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation.
A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera.
Native Grapes
Seven species of grapes are native to the National Capital Region. Learn how to tell them apart, where they grow, and how they benefit birds, bugs, and beasts alike.
Multiple clusters of grapes hang off of a leafy vine.
Christmas berry (Photinia villosa)
Learn about Christmas berry (Photinia villosa), an invasive shrub considered an early detection rapid response species in the greater Washington, DC region in 2024.
Cluster of white flowers above green leaves
Forest Regeneration 2024
Forest regeneration in the National Capital Region continues to slowly improve, especially in parks that manage their deer populations. A look at forest regeneration capacity based on monitoring data from 2024.
Forest with tall trees in the background and green saplings in the foreground
Anacostia Park
Washington, D.C.
Anacostia Park
"The Eastern-Branch
[Anacostia
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
River] is one of the safest and most commodious
harbors in America,..and
is abundantly
capacious."
—Maryland newspaper on location of national capital city, 1791
When the national capital city was
planned in the early 1790s, the land
bordering the Anacostia River was envisioned as an ideal location for shipping,
industry, and other commercial activities
that would develop the economy of the
new city. However, by the late 19th century, the Anacostia River had become
silted up by runoff from agricultural
activities farther upstream. In the early
20th century, reclamation of the Anacostia River "flats" transformed the
swamp lands into the riverside parks—
what we know today as Anacostia Park.
Present-day Anacostia Park spans over
1,200 acres stretching the length of the
A view of Washington, D.C,
from the south bank of the
Anacostia River, 1834
Anacostia River from the Frederick
Douglass Memorial Bridge north
approximately five miles to the District/Maryland line. The park includes
Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens,
Langston Golf Course, and the Robert
F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium.
the developed recreational facilities, the
northern part of Anacostia Park near
Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens provides
one of the best places in the region in
which to see wildlife.
Anacostia Park is a multi-use recreational park, with shoreline access, a
swimming pool, multi-use pavilion, ball
fields, trails, and picnic areas that
attract visitors from throughout the city
and across the nation. The park also is
home to the United States Park Police
Training Center and helipad, as well as
the Urban Tree House and the Aquatic
Education Center. While the southern
portion of the park (below the railroad
bridge and boat ramp) contains most of
Agriculture
Planning for the National Capital City
The Nacotchtanks
cept for the city was based upon classic
European plans, which provided for
public buildings to be located on
prominent geographic features,
grand boulevards that radiated
outward and connected public buildings and parks, and
large public spaces that
served as appropriate
settings for the public
building. This ambitious
architectural and landscape design also
included a detailed street
plan that extended from the
Potomac River to its Eastern Branch, as the Anacos- .
tia River then was called.
Along the Eastern Branch, harbors, markets, and industrial sites
were envisioned.
In 1790, President George Washington
selected the 10-square-mile area
around the confluence of the
Potomac and Anacostia Rivers
as the seat of the new federal
government. The site
appealed to him because
Georgetown in Maryland
and Alexandria in Virginia,
both established in the
1750s, already were thriving port cities along the
Potomac River. The Anacostia River offered the
potential of deep-water
ports and was poised for sig
nificant harbor development.
Long before the arrival of the first European explorers, a vibrant
American Indian culture evolved around the abundance of fish,
game, and other natural resources in the Anacostia River area
for at least 10,000 years. In the 17th century, the Nacotchtank
Indians were the primary residents along the eastern shore of
the Anacostia. Prosperous farmers, gatherers, hunters, and
traders, the Nacotchtanks lived in the vicinity of what is now
Boiling Air Force Base. Jesuit priests later Latinized the Algonquian place name of Nacotchtank to Anacostia.
Englishman John Smith explored the Anacostia, or Eastern
Branch of the Potomac, in 1608. Smith's arrival heralded both
the rapid settlement of the land east of the Anacostia River by
English landowners and the rapid decline of the Nacotchtanks.
Ravaged by European diseases, the weakened band suffered
from raids by competing Indians and attacks by English settlers. By the 1670s, the Nacotchtanks had been driven from the
region.
Washington commissioned
Frenchman Pierre L'Enfant to develop
plans for the new capital. L'Enfant's con
Historic print of the first
Native American village in
what is now Anacostia
Anacostia in Modern Times
white homeowners of means interested in owning property outside the
original boundaries of the capital city.
The company did not offer homes to
African Americans. This first effort at
marketing "suburban" housing never
caught on and the company suffered
from poor sales.
The end of tobacco production in the
region hastened the breakup of the
mammoth plantations. With the land
available for development, residential
communities slowly began to form in
Anacostia. The opening of the Washington Navy Yard in 1799 spurred residential settlement in Anacostia as
large numbers of workers made their
homes directly across the river from
where they worked.
The Good Hope community emerged
as a settlement around Jenkin's Tavern in the 1820s, when Good Hope
Road was the major established link
between Washington, D.C