This lecture is part of two series:
When Washington was built, the streets in the Northeast quadrant were laid out in the grid system designed by Pierre L’Enfant, with Florida Avenue (then known as Boundary Street) forming the northern border of the city. However, nearly all of the land remained undeveloped in the early 19th century, used as farmland to cultivate fruits and vegetables for the more developed sections of the city.
In the 1830s, the B&O Railroad constructed its Washington Branch, which entered the city at roughly 9th and Boundary Streets and proceeded through the neighborhood to the downtown area. Its presence gradually led Northeast to evolve into a working-class neighborhood: wood and coal yards appeared to serve the railroad and its terminals, with houses subsequently built for the employees of the railroad industries. Sites covered in the series include those with historic connections to the railroad and public markets, as well as education and social change, a president, and a neighborhood once known as Swampoodle.
Featured Topic: Gallaudet University
Founded in 1864, Gallaudet University was originally a grammar school for both deaf and blind children. It was the first school in the world for the advanced education of students who are deaf and hard of hearing, and remains the only higher education institution in which all programs and services are specifically designed to accommodate these students. There is a university historical museum on the beautiful campus.
A Gallaudet University graduate, presenter Meredith Peruzzi is the manager of the Gallaudet University Museum and curator of the exhibition Gallaudet at 150 and Beyond. Sign-language interpretation is available for this presentation.
