Eastland Gardens

Steeped in history, Eastland Gardens is a quaint but mighty hidden treasure of Northeast Washington, D.C.

This quiet neighborhood sits East of the Anacostia River in Ward 7 of the nation’s capital. Beloved for its heritage, tight-knit community and convenient access to bustling city life, Eastland Gardens treats residents to a small-town lifestyle just minutes from all the action. Developed in 1929 by renowned African American architects Lewis Giles, John Lankford and several others, the neighborhood is now one of 200 cultural sites on the African American Heritage Trail, an initiative launched by the DC Historic Preservation Office and Cultural Tourism DC.

Eastland Gardens offers single-family Colonials, Cape Cods, rambler-style houses, bungalows and charming row houses, many still unchanged from when the neighborhood was first developed. Most homes were built in 1950, ranging from $370,000 to $630,000. Residents enjoy spacious, fenced-in backyards and beautiful landscaping shaded by mature trees that blanket the neighborhood. The flower-filled lawns hark back to the efforts of Rhuedine Davis, who founded the neighborhood’s first flower club in the 1950s, which is still active through the Eastland Gardens Civic Association. And with convenient access to I-295 and a metro station within walking distance, residents can quickly get to bustling city life on H Street and Capitol Hill.

While there are no schools directly within Eastland Gardens, excellent educational options lie just two miles away. Most Eastland Gardens students attend Neval Thomas Elementary, Kelly Miller Middle and IDEA Public Charter School. At Neval Thomas, the school provides a literacy lab and Kennedy Center Arts integration program. The high school offers soccer, softball and wrestling, as well as an anime and beekeeping club. Caesar Chavez Public Charter School and Friendship Collegiate School also serve local high school students.

The stunning Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens is just over the neighborhood boundary. Cherished by residents, it’s the only national park that displays aquatic plant life. Here, you can hike or bike the trails or stroll through the gardens to see bright pink lotus flowers and water lilies popping up from the marshes. Or simply watch beavers hustling to build dams, lazy turtles lounging on logs and Great Blue Herons and Great White Egrets soaring above. Just before the gardens is Kenilworth Park, which offers tennis courts, a playground and a section of the 20-mile Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, which winds through the gardens. At Marvin Gaye Park, you can admire a mosaic of the late singer, hike a short trail and attend the annual Summer Peace Jam.

An unofficial landmark of the area, The Shrimp Boat is an iconic restaurant just a mile away, which first opened in 1953. As one of the first few integrated restaurants in DC, locals loved grabbing fresh seafood, along with go-go cassette tapes, jewelry and clothes. The historic East Capitol Street eatery now serves up all-day breakfast, seafood platters, bean pies, pork chops and comfort sides. And at the Eclectic Café, you can enjoy jerk chicken, curried goat and other Caribbean fare. For day-to-day groceries, Mennick’s Market and Kenilworth Market are less than a mile away.

Preserving the neighborhood’s history is embedded into the fabric of Eastland Gardens. Historical markers pepper the landscape, serving as a continued reminder of how the neighborhood got its start and the early residents who made it happen. One such landmark is the Engine Company No. 27, a 1908 villa-style building that served as DC’s second African American Fire Company. The flower club continues to host annual events and workshops to grow civil pride and community engagement. And at the Kenilworth Recreational Center just two miles away, you can get involved in a variety of events, spar with an opponent in a boxing ring, swim laps in the outdoor pool, or take a cooking class.

Embrace historic and community pride in Eastland Gardens.

Written By

Amy David

Photography Contributed By

Naleli Murry

Video By

Curtis Newkirk