Anacostia Blazes a New Trail

by Art Slater

After a nearly seven-year wait, Anacostia, and hence Ward 8, will be among the official showcases of D.C. history with the launch of "An East-of-the-River View: Anacostia Heritage Trail".  The Anacostia Coordinating Council (ACC), partnering with the Historic Anacostia Block Association (HABA) and Cultural Tourism DC, revived the once-flagging effort to restore to pride of place one of D.C.'s most dynamic and historically varied neighborhoods with signage along designated routes marking significant physical landmarks, cultural and commercial centers along with substantial achievements of Anacostia's residents.

In 2008, ACC Executive Director Philip Pannell and community partners gave before the Cultural Tourism DC board to advocate for the Anacostia Heritage Trail project and its funding and ACC provided outreach and refreshments for a series of evening community meetings to solicit community input and to obtain briefings and presentations on what it means to have a trail established.  Materials for the Anacostia trail have been 2 1/2 years in production.  Currently, there are 15 heritage trails in the District of Columbia, and only one trail East-of-the-River in Deanwood (Ward 7).  Launch for "An East-of-the-River View: Anacostia Heritage Trail" is expected some time in mid-Spring of this year.  For more information about Neighborhood Heritage Trails in DC, visit Cultural Tourism DC at www.culturaltourismdc.org.  [Ed. note: This article was updated from the original post.]

Also, check out the story Heritage Trail Coming to Anacostia by John Muller in East of the River News online at http://www.capitalcommunitynews.com/content/heritage-trail-coming-anacostia.

On a related note, Jane Freundel Levey of Cultural Tourism DC, our partner on the upcoming Anacostia Heritage Trail launch, will be giving a presentation on A History of Congress Heights on Wednesday, February 18, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. at the Congress Heights Senior Wellness Center, 3500 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE, Washington, DC 20032.