The Eckington neighborhood is found in the Northeast quadrant of Washington DC. It’s outlined north by Rhode Island Ave. NE, east by Metropolitan Branch Trail and Brentwood Yard of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, south by Florida Ave. NE, and west by North Capitol St. NE.
The land on which Eckington currently stands has 200 years of recorded history. Joseph Gales Jr., a newspaper publisher and former Mayor of Washington, purchased the acreage and named it Eckington after the English village from where he emigrated. He built his home there in 1830, which was later repurposed into a Union hospital during the Civil War. The land was acquired in 1887, residentially developed, and modernized (for the times) by George Truesdell. Late 19th century “modern” amenities included paved streets, sanitation lines, hot and cold running water, and electricity by 1889. Not even the White house had electricity until 2 years later in 1891! While Truesdell’s original homes aren’t in existence today, there are some late 19th century homes still standing. The burst of Victorian and Federal style row-house construction occurred mostly from 1900 to 1930, and many of these characteristic Washingtonian homes stand today.
Rail companies helped shape this unique area, mixing the residential with the industrial. Washington’s first electric rail line started in 1888 by the Eckington & Soldiers Home Railway Company. The B&O Railroad connected the city to Maryland with their Metropolitan Branch railway and built a passenger station north of Florida Ave. The B&O Railroad Company additionally had major influence in commercial development when they built their freight depot, which paved the way for companies like The National Biscuit Company (aka Nabisco) to take root in the development. Today, the neighborhood is home to Sirius XM Radio.
In recent years, there has been an influx of first-time home-buyers who are priced out of neighboring Bloomingdale and Shaw, looking to get better value and take advantage of the neighborhood’s proximity to downtown. The quintessential multicolored row-houses stand in contrast to modern apartment dwellings. Many residents can walk to 1st St NW, a quaint commercial strip lined with a variety of restaurants, a yoga studio, and more. The much anticipated McMillan Reservoir development project is sure to provide the neighborhood with much walkability, further bolstering its desirability. These factors are responsible for dramatic price appreciation in Eckington, especially during the past of couple years.
If you’re looking to buy in this relatively affordable, centrally located, architecturally diverse, and yet somewhat physically and socially insulated area, then call one of our Exclusive Buyer’s Agents today. When coming to explore Eckington, there are two nearby Metro stations: Rhode Island and NoMa-Gallaudet U. Let one of our Accredited Buyer’s Representatives (ABR designation) help you find your new place to call home. Our cultured and multilingual ABR Agents have gone through extra training to help simplify and ease the home buying process with integrity and professionalism. We have longstanding residential knowledge and expertise from living in Washington DC for many years. Call one of our experienced Agents today!