DC Gentrification

With the election of congressional representatives each year along with presidential cabinet and White House staffing positions being filled, many people come and go from life in Washington, DC without ever learning the history and development of the most important city in America.. The DC area was first settled by Native Americans around the 1700s with the Nacotchtank settling in Anacostia and the Tohoga in Georgetown.

The DC area was created from land ceded to the government from Maryland and Virginia. In 1791 the federal district became Territory of Columbia with the city being designated as City of Washington. Sandstone markers, still visible, designate south at Jones Point, west at the Arlington County line, north at Silver Spring, MD and the Potomac River as the eastern boundary.

The city grid was created by Pierre L’ Enfant with the capitol building at the center dividing the city into north, east, south and western sectors. Alphabetically named streets were to run east/west and north/south. Numbered streets were designated to separate the city into blocks. Avenues named for each state were to bisect the alphabetical streets. Circular roadways were to be named for distinguished Americans as in the case of Scott Circle for the composer of what became America’s national anthem.
Many of the federal structures were designed and constructed by the German architect Adolph Claus, including the National Museum and Agriculture Building.

Since the original ceding of land by Maryland and Virginia gave rise to many problems and conflicts during the early years, a retroceded land act was adopted in the 1840s. By this act, no federal offices were to be located outside of the District of Columbia boundary lines. In addition, a large portion of land known as Arlington Plantation originally owned by George Washington’s father-in-law subsequently became Arlington National Cemetery.