Letter from Kristina Noell Executive Director of the Anacostia Business Improvement District
We are excited to share this comprehensive guide to Historic Anacostia as we celebrate the 1 Year Anniversary of our designation as Washington DC’s Official Arts & Culture District, unveiled by Mayor Muriel Bowser in February 2023. We recognize that this is a pivotal moment of evolutionary change for Anacostia, and what better lens to evolve through than that of arts and culture. Our community, residents and businesses are creative, talented, passionate and celebrate the past while embracing the path to the future. When you enter our corridors and engage in all the unique activities - whether it’s eating at a local restaurant, shopping at a local store, catching a play, visiting our waterfront or checking out the many curated experiences and events - we want you to explore and embrace the energy of the culture here. The vibe is magnetic. We want you to come, experience and plan to come back. We can only continue to thrive and grow with your support. The new developments intertwined with a historic arts and culture hub is something not to be missed. We hope you enjoy this guide as an entry point to exploring the beauty and vibrancy of Anacostia.
My favorites in the Anacostia Arts & and Culture District
It is energizing when I get an early start to the day by grabbing a coffee, walking, or sometimes riding my bike to take in the Anacostia Park waterfront and Frederick Douglass Bridge (it is beautiful), or check out my personal outdoor museum I created on the Art to Go-Go app.
Dinner and a show! I am always ready to have a bite to eat at one of our area restaurants and then head out to the Anacostia Playhouse or the Anacostia Arts Center for an evening of theater. I park and jump on the Art to Go-Go free shuttle to get there. I could go on because there are so many unique and cool things to do, like candle making and culinary classes, but I think it is better if you come and experience it yourself!
To work with local artists, visit www.anacostiabid.org/arts-culturecreative-collective
St. Elizabeths Hospital District
1100 Alabama Ave SE
www.stelizabethsdevelopment.com
In 1855, Congress supported social reformer Dorothea Lynde Dix in the establishment of a Government Hospital for the Insane (subsequently known as St. Elizabeth’s Hospital) East of the Anacostia River. The East Campus is still home to important mental health facilities for DC residents, while the West Campus is currently utilized by the Department of Homeland Security.
Washington D.C boundary stone
3101 Southern Ave. Temple Hills, MD
www.boundarystones.org
One of the 40 original boundary stones laid in 1791 by Andrew Ellicott and Benjamin Banneker to mark the borders of the District of Columbia.
Old Carroll’s Laundry building 1701 14th St SE
Much of Anacostia’s laundry was done here from 1930 to 1958.
The Art Deco-style building is a neighborhood landmark.
Skyland Workforce Center
2509 Marion Barry Ave SE www.bbardc.org
This skills development hub provides essential workforce training in the form of financial literacy, hospitality and construction courses. The Skyland Workforce Center fights unemployment through partnerships with individuals and private and public organisations.
1. Hillsdale Farmers Market
2600 Firth Sterling Ave. SE
barryfarmredevelopment.org
The Hillsdale Farmers Market is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every third Sunday from mid-June to midOctober. Connect with neighbors, artisanal makers and support local businesses.
2. THEARC Farm
1901 Mississippi Ave SE
www.bbardc.org/farm-garden
The largest urban farm East of the river, THEARC Farm is the anchor site for the BBAR (Building Bridges Across the River) network, and is a green space where the community comes together to improve access to fresh, nutritional produce for Wards East of the river.
3. Kitchen Savages
1211 Marion Barry Ave SE
www.kitchensavages.com
Executive Chef, owner and founder of Kitchen Savages, Darrell Gaston, dishes up tasty food and community support at his vibey restaurant on Marion Barry Ave. SE.
4. Busboys and Poets
2004 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE
www.busboysandpoets.com
The brainchild of restaurateur, activist and artist Andy Shallal, this restaurant/community meeting space/events venue was opened in 2018 and is the first Busboys and Poets location in Southeast DC. Don’t miss Karaoke with the Kingpin on the first Fridays and Saturdays of the month.
5. DCity Smokehouse
1301 Marion Barry Ave SE
www.dcitysmokehouse.com
This is Melvin Hines and Charese John’s second DCity Smokehouse location but the quality meat and tasty sides - with a winning combination of spices- has stayed the same.
6. ELife
1231 Marion Barry Ave SE
www.eliferestaurant.com
The Everlasting Life Vegan Restaurant inside the Anacostia Arts Center serves plant-based soul food to lifelong vegans and those who are curious. Stop by for the hearty Sunday brunch.
7. Sandlot Anacostia
633 Howard Rd SE
www.sandlotanacostia.com
Cocktails, DJs and food trucks keep this vibey spot adjacent to Suitland Parkway pumping into the early hours.
8. Mama’s Pizza Kitchen
2028 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE
www.mamaspizzatogo.com
Across more than four states, Fatima Nair has been serving up homestyle, Southern-inspired BBQ and luscious Italian pizza and pasta to her customers since 1986.
9. Paola’s Breakfast & Fry Chicken
1918 14th St SE
Generous portions of collard greens, cornbread and sweet hibiscus tea at good prices.
10. Open Crumb
1243 Marion Barry Ave SE
www.opencrumbdc.com
Owned and operated by Chef Peter Opare, Open Crumb is home to a Black-owned scratch kitchen where food is prepared in-house from raw ingredients.
11. Turning Natural
2025 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE
www. turningnatural.com
Jerri Evans’ Turning Natural is both feeding and empowering the Anacostia community. Try her acai and pitaya bowls, black bean burgers, veggie and spinach patties and the salad bar. She also stocks zero-additive juices and juice cleanses.
12. Star Vending
1107 Marion Barry Ave SE
Beverages, food items and ice cream available for licensed vendors.
13. Coming soon: Capitol City Seafood Market & Deli
1111 Marion Barry Ave SE
www.rtwilliamsseafood.com
Sixth-generation Washingtonian Ron Williams Jr. will open a new seafood eatery and bakery that draws on his years of experience harvesting seafood from the Chesapeake Bay.
14. Coming soon: Fresh Food Factory
1406 Marion Barry Ave SE
www.thefreshfoodfactory.com
Founded by Amanda Stephenson, the Fresh Food
Factory will be a retail incubator market designed to serve Ward 8 as a catalyst for food equity and economic development.
15. Coming soon: Taste Lab DC
2228 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE
www.tastelab.co
Led by hospitality veteran Talema Rice, the 4,000 square foot tasting kitchen, business incubator and ghost kitchen will open as part of Maple View Flats.
16. Coming soon: SaPoDilla’s Caribbean Restaurant
1215 Marion Barry Ave SE
Instagram: @sapodillascaribbean
Have a craving for authentic Caribbean fare? SaPoDilla’s is set to open a second location in Historic Anacostia.
17. Capital One Café
1203 Marion Barry Ave SE
www.capitalone.com
Not just for Capital One banking customers, Capital One Cafés serve as neighborhood hubs; where you’re able to make use of free meeting spaces and nooks for community organizations, student groups or nonprofits. Friendly Capital One ambassadors are also on hand to help with opening or servicing accounts.
Play
1. Coming soon: 11th Street Bridge Park 11th Street SE
www. bbardc.org/project/11th-streetbridge-park
The old 11th Street Bridge piers will be redesigned to accommodate a pedestrianized and elevated bridge spanning the Anacostia River. The park will include a public plaza, a community, urban gardens, a kayaking pier and an environmental education center.
2. Bridge District
Howard Road SE
www.bridgedistrictdc.com
This urban residential and business development by Redbrick LMD will combine living, working and playing in one dynamic, eco-friendly space on the Anacostia River. The Bridge District will be home to the National Campus for Cyber Leadership (NCCL).
3. Anacostia Park
www.nps.gov/anac/index.htm
Over 100 acres of green space spread along the East bank of the Anacostia River, Anacostia Park has been enjoyed for decades by DC residents. Anacostia Park is the perfect place to enjoy a weekend family barbeque, a softball match between friends or a leisurely picnic under a tree on the edge of the river.
4. Fort Stanton Park
1820 Erie St SE
www.historicsites.dcpreservation.org
Fort Stanton and Fort Ricketts were constructed by the Union Army in 1861 to protect the Eastern border of the District of Columbia from invading forces during the American Civil War.
and operator, SouthEast Restaurant Group (DCity Smokehouse)
“I was very intentional in locating DCity Smokehouse in the neighborhood. I’ve lived in Anacostia for about 13 years, so I know up close what the lack of resources really looks like. The SouthEast Restaurant Group is all about hospitality; I’m really proud of what we’ve been able to produce at 1301 Marion Barry Avenue. I don’t look at this as just a place to serve you once, what I look for is the chance to interact with people. DCity Smokehouse serves as a community meeting center just like our first location at 203 Florida Avenue NW. I’m there pretty much everyday because I love coming through to talk to the customers. Challenges and rewards? The challenge is to get the word out, especially in the South East. Getting people to recognize the name and trust us. The acknowledgement is the reward. When I walk up to the restaurant and I see someone enjoying their food, that to me is the reward.” www.dcitysmokehouse.com
5. Anacostia Roller Skating Pavilion
1500 Anacostia Dr SE
www.nps.gov/anac/planyourvisit/rollerskating
This is the only roller rink in the entire National Park Service (NPS) system. The Anacostia Roller Skating Pavilion is open dawn to dusk every day and skates are leased for free.
6. Barry Farm Recreation Center
1230 Sumner Road SE
www.dpr.dc.gov/BarryFarm
Managed by the DPR, Barry Farm Recreation Center offers a pool, fitness facilities, a computer lab and many different field and track resources.
7. Anacostia Recreation Center
1800 Anacostia Dr SE
www.dpr.dc.gov
Built on reclaimed marshland, this historic leisure facility is home to one of the first public pools in DC to be desegregated in 1949.
8. Art To Go-Go
Various locations
www.arttogogo.org
This self-guided scooter tour of public art and murals in Historic Anacostia gets both visitors and locals out and about exploring work by Luis Peralta Del Valle,
Candice Taylor, Nils Westergard, Aniekan Udofia and many others.
9. Verbal Gymnastics
Locations based on performance
www.verbalgymnastics.com
Community based storytelling and improv performances that always draw crowds.
Shop
1. Anacostia Organics
2022 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE
www.anacostiaorganics.com
Anacostia Organics, a black woman-owned business by Linda Mercado Greene, is located in Historic Anacostia and is the only DC legally licensed medical cannabis dispensary in Wards 6, 7 and 8.
2. Busboys and Poets Books
2004 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE
www. busboysandpoets.com
Busboys and Poets Books is a space devoted to strengthening communities through access to sociallyconscious literature, programs, healing conversations and a respectful exchange of ideas.
3. Good Hope Hydroponics
1113 Marion Barry Ave SE
www. goodhopehydroponics.com
This urban indoor/outdoor gardening store and supplier offers equipment and advice on cultivating a green haven in any small space.
4. Kitchen Physician
1421 Marion Barry Ave SE
www.thekitchenphysician.net
Specializing in natural and herbal supplements for immune system support, Kitchen Physician’s Shawnette Monroe helps people achieve holistic wellness naturally. She produces more than 80 percent of merchandise available in her herbal pharmacy herself.
5. La Threadz Couture
1348 Marion Barry Ave SE
www. lathreadz.com
La Threadz Couture offers custom graphic design services on T-shirts, hats, buttons, pendants, and more. Visit them for the best fit in shoes, coats and other wardrobe essentials.
6. You Matter Spa
1214 U St SE
www.youmatterspa.com
Renowned for their pre-and postpartum massage services, Anacostia resident Sharla Thomas’ You Matter Spa also offers therapeutic massage, retreats, and Jacuzzi time.
7. Mahogany Books
1231 Marion Barry Ave SE
www.mahoganybooks.com
This treasure trove of a bookstore is located within the Anacostia Arts Center and carries literary contributions that celebrate Black history and culture from America and the Diaspora.
8. Vintage and Charmed
1231 Marion Barry Ave SE
Facebook: @vintagencharmed
Stop by the Anacostia Arts Center and pay Vintage and Charmed a visit. Stocked solely with products from female-owned and operated businesses, Vintage and Charmed demonstrates what women in business can accomplish when supported and allowed to thrive.
9. Coming soon: Grounded
1913 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE
www. feelgrounded.com
The online wellness plant company is slated to open a brick-and-mortar store that integrates a plant shop, cafe, and wellness studio.
See
1. Anacostia Arts Center
1231 Marion Barry Ave SE
www.anacostiaartscenter.com
The Anacostia Ar ts Center is powered by the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (Wacif). It’s home to artists, creatives, entrepreneurs, and Blackowned businesses from Anacostia and further afield.
2. Kraft Studio 1239 Marion Barry Ave SE
www.craigkraftstudio.com
Kraft is a longtime resident of Anacostia. He creates magical pieces of neon glass art in his studio/home space. You might already be familiar with his soft white glowing words of HOPE on various buildings in the neighborhood.
3. Capital Hill Boys Club Gallery
1603 Marion Barry Ave SE
Instagram: @chbcartgallery
This vibrant and dynamic exhibition/workshop/ program space is reflective of the creative energy of Ward 8. The CHBC runs various programs, including one focused on introducing kindergarteners to the art of mural making, and an after-school program designed to assist students in developing an art portfolio.
4. Valley Place Arts Collaborative
1241 Marion Barry Ave SE
www.valleyplacearts.org
The mission of the Valley Place Arts Collaborative is to promote arts, culture, and the creative economy in DC’s Wards 7 and 8. This includes supporting
“It’s exciting to be at a point where we’re fulfilling our promise to this community, that’s been shaped by over 1000 meetings. Every single element of the 11th Street Bridge Park has been driven by local residents. This has become so much more than a park; we’ve made sure that residents who’ve been here through the tough times can be here for the good times. I think the one goal that really resonates with residents is physically and metaphorically bridging these communities. The river has been this dividing line for generations in the city. There are only three points of entrance for the Anacostia community to access the park over the course of five or six miles. If we do our jobs right, we can not only bring together residents who wouldn’t normally touch elbows, but we can also hang out and play with each other. Given where we are as a city and a country, we desperately need more places where folks can hang out together.” www.bbardc.org
local galleries and artists, promoting performing and creative arts, organizations and individuals, and providing technical assistance.
5. Honfleur Gallery
1241 Marion Barry Ave SE
www.honfleurgallerydc.com
Honfleur Galler y opened in January 2007. It hosts a regular schedule of exhibitions and offers residencies to artists from Wards 7 and 8.
6. Anacostia Playhouse
2020 Shannon Pl SE
www.anacostiaplayhouse.com
Visit the Anacostia Playhouse to see plays for the community, by the community, where Executive Artistic Director Stephawn Stephens and his team have created an important platform for theater talent from East of the river.
7. Black Box Theatre
1231 Marion Barry Ave SE
www.anacostiaartscenter.com/rentals/ black-box-theatre/
Book this versatile space on the ground level of the Anacostia Arts Center for your next panel discussion, community engagement forum or small-scale theater production. It seats 85 people and rental rates start at $125.
8. Children’s Legacy Theatre (CLT)
2300 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE
www.childrenslegacytheatre8.org
CLT creates theater experiences that educate, challenge, and inspire teens to connect to different
cultures and ideas. Youth question and explore their world through composing and directing their own plays.
9. Alliance Theater
2020 Shannon Pl SE
www.theateralliance.com
This theater production group puts socially conscious plays that tackle contemporary issues front and center.
10. THEARC Theater
1901 Mississippi Ave SE
www.bbardc.org/project/thearc-theater
THEARC Theater provides a range of arts and culture programming to uplift and engage Ward 8 residents.
11. The Big Chair
1001-1199 V St SE
www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chair_(sculpture)
Anacostia’s largest piece of furniture has seen a few redesigns since it was built in 1959 but remains a much-beloved icon of the neighborhood.
Learn
1. The Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum
1901 Fort Pl SE
www.anacostia.si.edu
Since 1967, the Anacostia Community Museum has been led by a community-focused approach to curation and exhibition-making. In addition to exhibitions, a schedule of activities and workshops are offered online and in person.
2. Frederick Douglass National Historic Site 1411 W St SE
www.nps.gov/frdo
The old Cedar Hill estate is the former home of Frederick Douglass: Celebrated abolitionist, author, orator and DC’s first Black marshal.
3. Anacostia High School 1601 16th St SE
www.anacostiahs.org
4. Excel Academy Public School for Girls 2501 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE www.excelps.org
5. Ketcham Elementary School 1919 15th St SE www.profiles.dcps.dc.gov
6. Kramer Junior High School 1700 Q St SE www.myschooldc.org
7. Anacostia Neighborhood Library 1800 Marion Barry Ave SE www.dclibrary.org/plan-visit/anacostialibrary
8. Project Create DC 2208 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE www.projectcreatedc.org
Project Create DC offers kids and parents a daily lineup of free programs focused on art therapy
and education, such as Family Art Day on every second and fourth Saturday of the month, the HeART Space Program, and the Arts Enrichment Field Trip Program.
9. Mobile Go-Go Museum
1920 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE www.gogomuseumcafe.com
The Anacostia BID’s Mobile Go-Go Museum is a converted 28-passenger mobile bus that pays homage to Go-Go music. 1920 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. SE is the future home of the permanent Go-Go Museum.
10. Eleventh Precinct Building
2301 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE
11. THEARC Campus
1901 Mississippi Ave SE www.bbardc.org/project/thearc
The Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus (THEARC) was established in 2005 as a cultural and economic hub for the surrounding neighborhoods. Computer, art and dance labs are available for use, in addition to a library, art gallery and gym.
12. We Act Radio
1920 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE www.weactradio.com
Kymone Freeman amplifies the voices of DC residents and the issues close to their hearts. Freeman cofounded WeAct Radio in November of 2011, and this independent radio station/full service production company has been pumping out regular community programming ever since.
Worship
1 St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church 1244 V St SE www.stachurchdc.org
2. Bethlehem Baptist Church 2458 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE www.bethlehembaptistdc.org
3. Delaware Ave Baptist Church 1301 V St SE
Facebook: Whereyourhealingbegin
4. Matthews Memorial Baptist Church 2616 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE www.mmbcdc.org
Richard Trent Executive Director, Friends of Anacostia Park
“We’ve been operational more informally since 2018, when the National Park Foundation started making investments in Anacostia Park and working with our co-Founder Akiima Price to ground truth and agenda for a community-led conservation group in Anacostia Park. We exist to actualize the National Park Service’s vision for the restoration of Anacostia Park and the surrounding community. We’re working to tap into folks who are interested in helping to modernize the park for people there. The most foundational equity work we’re doing is expanding the traditional understanding of what environmentalism and conservation is. We purposefully marry the economic uplift, the therapeutic engagement of the environmentalists and conservationists that have been frequenting and loving Anacostia Park for decades. We uplift them at the same time as we uplift the park. We recognize that there’s a symbiotic relationship there. The stronger the community is, the more empowered they are to be stewards of the land.”
www.friendsofanacostiapark.org
