Whispers of transformation linger here in Ivy City. Ivy City is a small Northeast Washington D.C. neighborhood. It was laid out as a suburban development for African Americans in 1873.
Development was slow initially in Ivy City. From 1879 to 1901, the neighborhood was known for the Ivy City Racetrack. This was a horse racing facility. Construction on the rail yard began in 1907. It was complete within a year. Many facilities were demolished in 1953 and 1954. Railroads switched from coal to diesel or electric engines.
The Alexander Crummell School opened in 1911. It served as a community focal point. After enrollment decline, it closed in 1972. It has not been demolished.
Now Ivy City is experiencing gentrification in the 21st century. The residential core still has poverty and high unemployment. About half the neighborhood is industrial. Warehouses dominate the area. The Ivy City Yard serves Amtrak. It is a railroad coach yard and maintenance facility. It sits northwest across New York Avenue NE.
Ivy City sits on a triangular strip of land. It is in the central part of Northeast D.C. New York Avenue bounds it to the northwest. West Virginia Avenue bounds it to the east. Mt. Olivet Road bounds it to the south. Gallaudet University is across Mt. Olivet Road. Mount Olivet Cemetery is across West Virginia Avenue. Amtrak’s Ivy City yard is across New York Avenue. Ivy City is in Ward 5. It is outside the boundaries of the L’Enfant Plan for D.C.
In 1831, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad got approval to build its Washington Branch. Passenger train service between Baltimore and Washington started in 1835. The track ran from the District border with Maryland to Boundary Avenue. This is now Florida Avenue. It followed the route of the then-unbuilt West Virginia Avenue.
Much of the land around Ivy City belonged to the Fenwick family. They descended from Thomas Notley. He was the 8th Proprietary governor of Maryland from 1676 through 1679. Mary Fenwick’s father was Notley Young. He was a large landowner in southern Maryland. He and others were known as the original landowners of D.C. King Charles I gave the land to George Calvert in 1632. Leonard Calvert began subdividing the claim in 1664.
In 1871, the District of Columbia Organic Act expanded the City of Washington. This brought Youngsborough under city jurisdiction. Landowners George Oyster and Edward Fenwick sold their property to Frederick W. Jones in 1871. He was a director of the Georgetown Savings Bank. Jones had the land platted. The Ivy City Subdivision was recognized on May 12, 1873.
Jones laid out 205 lots in Ivy City. He envisioned a rural community for African Americans. Many streets were named for landlords. These included Corcoran, Kendall, Fenwick, and Gallaudet. Lots cost 100 dollars each. The first land sale occurred in December 1873. F.P. Blair purchased Lot 9 for 150 dollars. A major auction of lots occurred in May 1875. There was little building. Nearly all residents were African-American. Structures were mostly wooden shacks. They lacked heat, electricity, gas, or sewer. The city provided drinking water from public pipes. Lots were large compared to those in the Federal City.
Ivy City’s story is a reminder of Washington’s complex past. It is a testament to the enduring spirit of its residents. Ivy City is a place where history and change continue to shape its identity.