Petworth, Washington, D.C.

Petworth
Neighborhoods in Washington, D.C.
"(Here I Stand) In the Spirit of Paul Robeson" by Allen Uzikee Nelson, 2001. Corner of Georgia and Kansas Avenues NW
Map of the District of Columbia, with Petworth highlighted in red
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State/District	District of Columbia
Quadrant	Northwest
Ward	Ward 4
Advisory Neighborhood Commission	ANC 4C; ANC 4D
Government
• Councilmember	Brandon Todd
• Delegate to the U.S. Congress	Eleanor Holmes Norton
Area
• Land	0.91 sq mi (2.4 km2)
Elevation	188.0 ft (57.3 m)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
ZIP Code	20010, 20011
Area code(s)	202

Petworth is a residential neighborhood in the Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C.. It is bounded to the east by the Soldiers’ Home and Rock Creek Church Yard and Cemetery, to the west by Arkansas Avenue NW, to the south by Rock Creek Church Road NW and Spring Road NW, and to the north by Emerson Street NW.

Petworth is represented on the Council of the District of Columbia by the Ward 4 councilmember: since May 2015, Brandon Todd. Muriel Bowser served as Ward 4 councilmember until she became the city's mayor on Jan. 2, 2015.

History

"Petworth" was the name of the 205-acre country estate of Benjamin Ogle Tayloe at the northeast corner of 7th Street Pike (later known as Brightwood Avenue, now Georgia Avenue) and Rock Creek Church Road. In 1887, it was sold by Tayloe's heirs to developers for $107,000. By 1889, developers registered “Petworth” with the District surveyor as a 387-acre plat of subdivision containing the former Tayloe estate and the Marshal Brown estate. In 1893, additional real estate deals formed "West Petworth," from land west of Brightwood Avenue, including the Ruppert Farm, which was sold for $142,680, the 20-acre Burnaby tract, and a 14-acre property known as Poor Tom’s Last Shaft. In 1900, Henry J. Ruppert sold an additional 31.7 acres west of Brightwood and Iowa Avenues and south of Utica Street (now Allison Street) to the District for a proposed municipal hospital.

The neighborhood bloomed with the expansion of the streetcar line up Georgia Avenue from Florida Avenue to the Washington, D.C., line at Silver Spring, Maryland.

Many of the thousands of similar brick row houses in the neighborhood were constructed by Cafritz Builders and by D.J. Dunigan Company in the 1920s and '30s. Dunigan donated the land that became the site for St. Gabriel's Church and School next to Grant Circle.

Today, the neighborhood is primarily residential with a mix of townhouses and single-family homes. It is served by the Georgia Ave-Petworth station on the Washington Metro's Green Line and Yellow Line. Petworth borders to two expanses of historic greenspace, Rock Creek Cemetery and the US Soldiers' and Airmens' Home (now known as the Armed Forces Retirement Home).

A sign in Petworth

Demographics

Year	Total ANC-4C Population	% Children	% Black	% White	% Hispanic	% Asian/P.I.	Average Family Income	Median Home Sales Price
1990	19,875	19%	88%	6%	6%	1%	$77,679	$166,000
2000	19,519	23%	72%	6%	20%	1%	$85,209	$177,000
2005	19,540	17%	63%	14%	20%	1%	$92,009	$491,000
2010	20,330	19%	57%	15%	26%	2%	Not Avail.	$460,000

Community events

Since 2006, the Upshur Street Arts and Crafts Fair[2] has been an annual event in December.

The Petworth Community Market[3], a weekly Saturday farmer's market, is held along 9th Street between Upshur and Taylor Streets from May through October. The market features produce, local vendors, and prepared foods.

Petworth Jazz Project[4] is a free music series of jazz performances held at Petworth Park at 8th and Taylor Streets from May through September.

The first Celebrate Petworth[5] street festival was held in May 2014 on Upshur Street between 8th and 9th Streets. The organization is currently planning the 2015 Celebrate Petworth festival.

From 1993 to 2011, the DC Caribbean Carnival parade was held annual each June along Georgia Avenue, passing through Petworth en route to Howard University.

Education

Libraries

Petworth Neighborhood Library

The two-and-a-half story Georgian Revival Petworth Neighborhood Library building opened in 1939 at the corner of Georgia Ave. NW, Kansas Ave. NW, and Upshur St. NW. In addition to providing access to DC Public Library general circulation items, the library’s collection includes a Spanish Language collection, job and employment literature, and Adult Basic Education materials. In June 2009, the library underwent a two-part renovation and re-opened on Feb. 28, 2011.

Public Schools

Roosevelt Senior High School

Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School

Roosevelt Senior High School enrolls students in ninth through 12th grade. The high school is also home to Roosevelt S.T.A.Y. program, an alternative academic and career/technical program that will lead to a high school diploma or vocational certificate. The high school, located at 13th and Upshur Streets NW was built in 1932 to accommodate 1,200 students. It is currently undergoing a $121 million, two-year facility modernization. The renovation is scheduled to be completed for the 2015-2016 academic year. During the renovation period, classes are being conducted at the MacFarland Middle School campus nearby on 13th Street NW.

Uncovered New Deal Artwork -- "The American Panorama," a 1934 New Deal–funded fresco by the Baltimore-born artist Nelson Rosenberg, was uncovered during renovation work in the cafeteria in fall 2013. The fresco is currently being restored and will be incorporated into the final renovation.

Truesdell Education Campus

Truesdell Education Campus enrolls 480 students (2013-2014) in grades pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

Powell Elementary School

Powell enrolls students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The school building first opened in 1929 as a single two-story brick structure on Upshur St. NW near 14th St. NW The school footprint was expanded in 1959 with the addition of a second structure. The school is currently undergoing a $42 million modernization and expansion.

Presidential Visit to Powell

On March 4, 2014, President Obama visited Powell, where he announced the fiscal year 2015 budget and spoke about Powell’s early childhood education program. “We know — and this is part of the reason why we’re here today — that education has to start at the earliest possible ages,” Obama said. “So this budget expands access to the kind of high-quality preschool and other early learning programs to give all of our children the same kinds of opportunities that those wonderful children that we just saw are getting right here at Powell.”

Public Charter Schools

• Bridges Public Charter School
• Center City Public Charter School – Petworth Campus
• E.L. Haynes Public Charter School

Local Businesses

In recent years, Petworth has seen more commercial establishments courting its growing urban population.

Public Art

• "The American Panorama," 1934, by Nelson Rosenberg. Fresco. Originally located in the cafeteria at Roosevelt Senior High School. Currently in storage by DC Department of General Services and awaiting restoration.
• "(Here I Stand) In the Spirit of Paul Robeson," 2001, by Allen Uzikee Nelson. Sculpture. Located at the corner of Georgia and Kansas Avenues NW [6]
• "Homage to a Community," 2002, by Andrew Reid and Carlos Alves. Mural and ceramic tile frieze. Located inside the metro station.[7]
• "New Leaf," 2007, by Lisa Scheer. Sculpture. Located outside the metro station at Georgia and New Hampshire Avenues.
• Untitled Chuck Brown mural, 2012, by MacFarland Middle School students led by art teacher Charles Jean-Pierre. Mural. Located outside Sweet Mango Café, 3701 New Hampshire Ave NW
• "SHOWOFF," 2013, by Cita Sadeli (Also known as Chelove). Mural. Located on the southwest corner of Taylor Street NW and Georgia Avenue NW.[8]

Historic Places

Adams Memorial by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Rock Creek Church Yard and Cemetery

Entrance gate to St. Paul's Rock Creek Church Yard, Petworth neighborhood, Washington, DC, USA. December 2009

• Adams Memorial by Augustus Saint-Gaudens (Titled: “The Peace of God.” Also known as “Grief”), Rock Creek Cemetery, Webster Street and Rock Creek Church Road, NW
  • Listed on the District Of Columbia Inventory Of Historic Sites, Nov. 8, 1964
  • Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, March 16, 1972

• Billy Simpson's House of Seafood and Steaks, 3815 Georgia Avenue, NW
  • Listed on the District Of Columbia Inventory Of Historic Sites, Sept. 25, 2008
  • Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, March 17, 2009

• Engine Company 24, 3670 New Hampshire Avenue, NW (originally 3702 Georgia Avenue, NW)
  • Listed on the District Of Columbia Inventory Of Historic Sites, March 17, 1993

• Lincoln Cottage (President Lincoln's Cottage at the Soldiers' Home) (Formerly, Corn Rigs, Anderson House), Soldiers’ Home Grounds, Rock Creek Church Road and Upshur Street, NW
  • Listed on the District Of Columbia Inventory Of Historic Sites, Nov. 8, 1964
  • National Monument designation July 7, 2000

• Petworth Gardens (Also known as Webster Garden Apartments), 124, 126, 128, and 130 Webster St., NW
  • Listed on the District Of Columbia Inventory Of Historic Sites, Sept. 25, 2008
  • Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Nov. 2008

• Rock Creek Church Yard and Cemetery, Webster Street and Rock Creek Church Road, NW
  • Listed on the District Of Columbia Inventory Of Historic Sites, Jan. 21, 1977
  • Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Aug. 12, 1977

• St. Paul's Church (Rock Creek Parish), Rock Creek Church Road & Webster Street, NW
  • Listed on the District Of Columbia Inventory Of Historic Sites, Nov. 8, 1964
  • Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, March 16, 1972

• Soldiers’ Home National Historic Site (United States Military Asylum), Rock Creek Church Road & Upshur Street, NW
  • National Historic Landmark designation, Nov. 7, 1973
  • Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Feb. 11, 1974
  • Listed on the District Of Columbia Inventory Of Historic Sites, March 3, 1979

External links

• Petworth News blog - local news about the neighborhood
• Prince of Petworth blog
• Petworth Row House blog
• Petworth is Like Omaha - historical post about the area
• Why Is It Named Petworth?