Consider this: Edgewood in Northeast Washington D.C. It’s a place where the past whispers and the present thrives. Edgewood is a neighborhood in Ward 5. It is defined by Michigan Avenue to the north and Rhode Island Avenue to the south. North Capitol Street marks the west. The Washington Metro’s Red Line forms the eastern edge.
Edgewood gets its name from Salmon P. Chase’s estate. Chase was Abraham Lincoln’s Treasury Secretary. He later became Chief Justice. In the 1860s, Chase bought land. This land was once part of Metropolis View. He built his estate here in 1865. He called it Edgewood.
After Chase died in 1873, the property went to his daughters. One daughter, Nettie, sold her share to her sister Kate. Kate faced financial troubles. The Panic of 1873 and her divorce made things worse. By the 1890s, Kate tried to save Edgewood. She grew vegetables and raised chickens. She even delivered eggs in her carriage. But the estate was too expensive to maintain.
The Washington Loan and Trust foreclosed on Edgewood. Kate sought help from wealthy friends. She wanted to preserve Edgewood. She called it a historic landmark honoring her father. People like J. P. Morgan helped her. They created a trust fund. It saved Edgewood from foreclosure. It also gave Kate a small income.
Kate’s hardship continued. She died in 1899. Her daughters closed Edgewood.
In 1900, St. Vincent’s Orphan Asylum for Girls bought Edgewood. The orphanage needed more space. Edgewood’s large grounds near Catholic University made it perfect. The orphanage served fewer girls over time. By 1959, they only accepted girls aged six to twelve. St. Vincent’s was racially integrated. However, it housed few African-American girls. The orphanage closed in 1968. Edgewood was its last home.
The Edgewood mansion was later torn down. Today, Edgewood Commons and Rhode Island Avenue Shopping Center stand on its land. Edgewood is sometimes called “Little Rome”. This is because of the many Catholic institutions nearby. Trinity Washington University is located in Edgewood since 1897.
Edgewood Wall is part of Open Walls DC. It provides space for artists. The goal is to create murals. These murals beautify the city.
Edgewood does not have its own Metro station. But it is close to Brookland-CUA and Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood stations. The Metropolitan Branch Trail also runs through Edgewood. It connects Silver Spring to Union Station. Edgewood is a neighborhood with a rich past. It shows how people and places can change over time.