Ward 6 Heritage Guide: A Discussion of Ward 6 Cultural and Heritage Resources

Fletcher, Patsy; Elliott, Kim

From the introduction: "The tale of Ward 6 is the history of Washington City and its evolution into a modern metropolis. Part of the ward's distinction comes from the fact that is the only one of the District of Columbia's eight wards wholly situated within the boundaries of the original Washington City as delineated by the L'Enfant Plan. Its location at the confluence of two rivers also informed its development, especially in the early decades when of the District's founding, when waterways were essential transportation corridors. Because much of Washington's early history as the federal city occurred within Ward 6, it is natural that the ward would hold a large collection of historic resources, some pre-dating to the move of the seat of the United States government to Washington. As the home of several historic districts - Capitol Hill, Mount Vernon Triangle, Mt. Vernon Square, parts of Shaw and Greater U Street - a goodly number of Ward 6 residents live in communities devoted to preserving the city's look and heritage. And because of its relationship to the national government, a great number of federal buildings, many displaying impressive architectural features, are located in Ward 6. Mostly located south and east of the Capitol, Ward 6 stretches to Florida Avenue on the northeast, and the Anacostia and Potomac rivers on the southeast and southwest. The ward borders the south side of the Mall, and extends northwest as far as the Shaw community, following an irregular border up Massachusetts Avenue to 7th Street, and ultimately as far as 11th and S streets, before returning along New Jersey Avenue. This deviation from a compact boundary, as well as a shifting border over the years, has led to some confusion about what and where Ward 6. The diversity within these boundaries has also contributed to a multi-personality ward, the only ward located in all four quadrants of the city. Its neighborhoods or communities range from industrial to military installations to modern residential high rises to government office buildings to rowhouses to houseboats. Along with the diverse communities and building types come widely varied interests of residents, and many stories about the origins and development of the Ward." Project funding was provided in part by a Historic Preservation Fund grant to the District of Columbia Historic Preservation Office, administered by the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior (grant number P17AF00101).

Ward 6 Heritage Guide: A Discussion of Ward 6 Cultural and Heritage Resources

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