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47-401: Definitions of Sixteenth Street Heights' boundaries vary, although the neighborhood can be broadly outlined by 16th Street on the west, Georgia Avenue on the east, Missouri Avenue to the north, and Arkansas Avenue to the south. The 16th Street Heights Tax Assessment Neighborhood is defined as 16th Street on the west, Missouri Avenue on the north, Georgia Avenue on the east, and Upshur Street on

94-503: A basketball court, a playground, and a small multi-purpose room. The Upshur Recreation Center at 4300 Arkansas Avenue has a baseball/softball field, two basketball courts, a computer lab, a kitchen, a medium-sized multi-purpose room, a playground, and a swimming pool. The Twin Oaks Community Garden, at 1425 Taylor Street, has 40 plots and hosts a Junior Master Gardener Program. A part of Washington County until passage of

141-454: A large number of women dressed in the latest fashions." At the end of the 1976 season, the NPS decided to operate the theater on its own and continues to do so today. CBA continues to host a variety of performances. Shows today include reggae, Latin, classical, gospel, musical, pop, R&B, jazz, new age, theater, and dance. Ticket prices are still the best entertainment bargain in town and many of

188-411: A natural dividing boundary for Washington neighborhoods. Outside of the downtown area, no neighborhood in the city falls on both sides of 16th Street; the neighborhoods that surround it have 16th as either their eastern or their western boundary. For many years, the wide street was the de facto "boundary" between Caucasian and African-American neighborhoods of the city, especially in the tense years after

235-588: A stage equipped with a movie screen. This plan was expanded upon by Carter T. Barron in 1947, as a way to memorialize the 150th anniversary of Washington, D.C., as the U.S. national capital. As Vice Chairman of the Sesquicentennial Commission, Barron envisioned an amphitheatre where "all persons of every race, color and creed" in Washington could attend musical, ballet, theater and other performing arts productions. The Commission approved

282-630: Is a 4,200-seat outdoor performance venue in Washington, D.C. , United States. Located in Rock Creek Park , the amphitheatre opened in 1950, in honor of the 150th anniversary of Washington, D.C. as the United States' capital. The National Park Service has operated Carter Barron, having offered a variety of quality performances, including reggae, Latin, classical, gospel, musicals, pop, R&B, jazz, new age, theater, and dance. Many of

329-604: Is divided into SSH-1 from Military Road to Colorado Avenue and SSH-2 from Colorado to Decatur. Both restrict non-residential uses and associated parking by requiring Board of Zoning Adjustment approval. After much discussion, approval was granted to build the church, which was completed in October 2012 and is now home to two Mormon congregations: the Washington, DC, 3rd Ward and the Mount Pleasant Spanish-speaking Branch. Sixteenth Street Heights

376-691: Is next to Rock Creek Park, a 1,754-acre (7.1 km) national park that bisects the District of Columbia. Park facilities near 16th Street Heights include the Carter Barron Amphitheater and the William H.G. Fitzgerald Tennis Center , which is the home of the Citi Open tournament (formerly, Legg Mason Tennis Classic). The Hamilton Recreation Center at 1340 Hamilton Street has a 60-foot (18 m) by 40-foot (12 m) athletic field,

423-797: Is now the Northern Division garage, and the 14th and Colorado turnaround is the terminal for some 52, 53, and 54 buses. The initial generation of residents was largely white and Jewish . In the 1960s, the neighborhood became mostly African-American. In the 21st century, Sixteenth Street Heights has seen a tremendous transformation. Houses on every street are being renovated inside and out. Many young families have moved in because homes in Sixteenth Street Heights tend to be more affordable than similar ones in many other neighborhoods in DC and close-in suburbs. They are also attracted by

470-970: The Avenue of the Presidents , is a prominent north-south boulevard in Washington, D.C. , located in Northwest D.C . The street was laid out as part of the 1791 L'Enfant Plan , which served as the original blueprint for the city. The street begins just north of the White House , across from Lafayette Square in the President's Park , and continues north along the Washington meridian until Blair Circle . The street passes through several notable landmarks and thoroughfares, including K Street , Scott Circle , Meridian Hill Park , Rock Creek Park before crossing Eastern Avenue into Silver Spring, Maryland , where it ends at Georgia Avenue . From K Street to

517-581: The District of Columbia Organic Act of 1871 , Sixteenth Street Heights was developed as a series of subdivisions. Streetcar lines on 14th Street and Georgia Avenue accelerated the growth of the area. The 14th Street line, which originally stopped at Park Road, was extended in late 1906 to spur growth in the area. Two historic streetcar facilities are currently used by Metrobus : the Capital Traction Company car barn at 4615 14th Street, NW,

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564-608: The George Floyd protests in Washington, D.C. , the city's Department of Public Works painted the words " Black Lives Matter " in 35-foot yellow capital letters on 16th Street NW near the White House and Lafayette Square , with the help of the department's MuralsDC program. The D.C. flag accompanied the text. Later that day, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that part of the street had been ceremonially renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza. On June 6, 2020, activists altered

611-485: The LDS Church bought a convent on 1.5 acres (6,100 m) at the corner of 16th Street and Emerson Street and demolished it. They sought to build a meetinghouse on the site with a 105-foot (32 m) steeple. Neighborhood outcry was fierce; many residents displayed lawn signs that read, "Too Big, Too Much, Too Many." Opponents of the church sought to extend southward the Sixteenth Street Heights overlay zone, which

658-836: The Scottish Rite Masons' House of the Temple , Carnegie Institution for Science , Robert Simpson Woodward House , the Warder Mansion , Carter Barron Amphitheater , the Washington, D.C. Jewish Community Center , and the Toutorsky Mansion . The AFL–CIO , American Trucking Association , National Education Association , American Chemical Society , National Geographic Society , and Benjamin Franklin University have prominent buildings on 16th Street. The National Rifle Association of America

705-605: The Shepherd Park neighborhood, the street passes 7700 16th Street NW , a Tudor-style house that was the scene of a notorious crime; several houses of worship, including the Ohev Sholom synagogue and historic Tiffereth Israel synagogue, across the street from one another; and the Washington Ethical Society. The street's proximity to Rock Creek Park and importance as a thoroughfare has made it

752-575: The 1968 race riots. A pair of similarly named streets, 16th Street Northeast and 16th Street Southeast, are three miles (5 km) away in the northeast and southeast quadrants of Washington. They are contiguous with each other and parallel to 16th Street NW. There is no 16th Street Southwest, as this space is occupied by the National Mall and the Washington Channel. Carter Barron Amphitheater The Carter Barron Amphitheatre

799-588: The Baptist Russian Orthodox Cathedral, founded in 1949 and built in 1958, and Third Church of Christ, Scientist , which was designed by an associate of I.M. Pei in 1971 and demolished in 2014. Shrine of the Sacred Heart is located just off of 16th Street. After most of the embassies moved to Embassy Row and other parts of the city, the churches became more prominent in 16th Street's identity. Other notable buildings include

846-613: The District line, it is part of the National Highway System , while the Maryland portion is designated Maryland Route 390 . The entire street is 6.4 miles (10.3 km) long. Part of the street is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Sixteenth Street Historic District . In June 2020, the section immediately north of the White House was renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza . 16th Street

893-564: The Feld Brothers added a three-pole circus tent to cover part of the stage which was changed to a truss and canvas roof system by the Shakespeare Theatre Company in cooperation with NPS in 1991. In the early 1990s, the NPS renovated the public restrooms, repaired the roofs, and did some electrical upgrades in the backstage area. Between the 2003 and 2004 summer performance seasons, all new seats were installed and

940-477: The Gang, Bruce Springsteen, United States Navy Band , National Symphony Orchestra , Shakespeare Festival, Richard Pryor , Chick Corea , and the D.C. Black Repertory Co. in order to attract a more diverse audience. The Washington Post reporter Jacqueline Trescott wrote "The hordes of teenagers were back, but scattered among the visors and t-shirts were family groups, black and white couples in their 20s and 30s and

987-561: The NPS has the requisite funding, the construction phase of the process has been planned for 2021–2022. The Carter Barron Amphitheatre (CBA) is located in Rock Creek Park. Initial plans for an amphitheatre in the Brightwood neighborhood of Washington, D.C., began in 1943, when Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. reviewed and commented on the site selection for an amphitheatre. The original plan called for benches to seat about 1,500 and

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1034-726: The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), "The Mikado," and numerous musicals. Their 1963 lineup changed performances to include more music and less ballet. Acts included The Kingston Trio , Victor Borge , Nat King Cole , Benny Goodman , Ethel Merman , Henry Mancini , Harry Belafonte , Andy Williams , Louis Armstrong , The Temptations , Ella Fitzgerald , and Peter, Paul and Mary . Israel Feld died in December 1972, and his wife, Shirley, took over management of CBA. The venue began to include soul and rock 'n' roll acts like Stevie Wonder , Ray Charles , Diana Ross &

1081-625: The Supremes , B.B. King , The O'Jays , Smokey Robinson and the Miracles , and the Four Tops . Due to competition from other centers for performing arts and changes in production values, the Feld's company Super Attractions began to incur heavy losses and asked to be released from its contract and in 1976 Cella-Door-Dimensions, Inc. was hired as new management. They scheduled acts such as Kool and

1128-491: The area surrounding the intersection of 14th Street, Colorado Avenue, and Kennedy Street. The Columbia Heights business district also extends to Shepherd Street in the southern end of the neighborhood. Many residents drive elsewhere for most of their shopping. The 14th and Colorado area was once home to Colorado Kitchen, and Twins Lounge, a notable jazz club. Both have closed. More than 45 churches line 16th Street between Silver Spring, Maryland , and Lafayette Square . In 2008,

1175-617: The arts. He was known as "everyone's friend – the burly, red-headed, blue-eyed, smiling giant." President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and President Harry S. Truman both claimed Barron to be a great friend. Barron organized twelve birthday balls for President Roosevelt and worked on both Roosevelt's and Truman's inaugurations. President Harry S. Truman dedicated the Sesquicentennial Amphitheatre on August 4, 1950, but following Barron's death, he rededicated

1222-598: The city's mayor in 2015. Janeese Lewis George is the current Ward 4 councilperson. Most of Sixteenth Street Heights lies within Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4C. Three neighborhood organizations serve 16th Street Heights: the 16th Street Heights Civic Association; the 16th Street Neighborhood Association; and the Carter Barron East Neighborhood Association, whose boundaries are Decatur Street to

1269-449: The commercial corridors of 14th Street and Georgia Avenue cater to middle- and lower-middle-class Hispanic and African American customers. Unlike the neighboring areas of Brightwood, Columbia Heights, and Petworth, 16th Street Heights has few commercial districts. Aside from a handful of corner shops in other areas of the neighborhood, businesses are confined to Georgia Avenue, 14th Street between Buchanan Street and Decatur Street, and

1316-414: The contract for the summer season which featured "Show Boat," " Annie Get Your Gun ," and " Carousel ." Audiences did not attend in large numbers and Washington Festival lost $ 200,000 in its first and only season. CBA was left in search of a savior. It found two . . . the Feld brothers, Irvin and Israel, won the contract to host the 1954 season. Their company, Super Attractions, hosted performances such as

1363-521: The deeds of Saul's Addition lots. Some, including the requirement that all homes be fully detached and the prohibition of commercial and multifamily buildings, remain largely in effect through zoning laws. Others have been dropped or ruled illegal, such as the restriction on the sale of lots to people of color, which was struck down in 1948 by the Supreme Court in Shelley v. Kraemer . The area to

1410-557: The diverse housing stock and the proximity to Carter Barron Amphitheater and Rock Creek Park . Much of 16th Street Heights was once part of Maple Grove Farm, an 80-acre (320,000 m) nursery acquired in May 1854 by John Hennessy Saul , who led improvements of the Mall, Capitol, and White House grounds. By 1892, Saul's son, Bernard Francis Saul , founded the B.F. Saul Company to sell land in individual lots and take notes as mortgages to speed

1457-575: The drainage in the seating area was improved. Electrical service and wiring was also updated. A major renovation project to the stage area is planned for the future. After the first two seasons of "Faith of Our Fathers," the CBA began to feature a variety of acts and performances. In 1952, CBA hosted military bands and the Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo . In 1953, Washington Festival, Inc. operated by local television celebrity Constance Bennett Coulter , won

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1504-596: The drawings of National Capital Parks (now known as the National Capital Region of the National Park Service (NPS)) Architect William M. Hausman for the new 4,200-seat Sesquicentennial Amphitheatre. Plans called for outfitting the amphitheatre with state-of-the-art technology including a communication system which allowed the stage manager to speak to any actor or stagehand from his desk and the best lighting and sound equipment available at

1551-523: The former president of the United States . Mayor Anthony A. Williams objected on the grounds that the proposal would have changed Pierre L'Enfant's 1791 design for the city and cost an estimated $ 1 million for new signs and maps. The plan was ultimately quashed by Rep. Tom Davis , chairman of the House Government Reform Committee and a fellow Republican representing Washington's Virginia suburbs. On June 5, 2020, during

1598-459: The mural. They removed the stars from the D.C. flag, changing it to an equals sign , and added the words " defund the police " so that the mural read "Black Lives Matter = Defund the Police". Early in the city's history, many foreign countries opened their embassies on 16th Street because of its proximity to the White House. Many religious denominations followed with churches, earning the street

1645-600: The natural obstacle of the Piney Branch valley—with the nation's first parabolic arch bridge —would take until 1909. The northern and central portions of 16th Street—and the Crestwood neighborhood , in particular—have for a half century been the chosen neighborhood of accomplished African Americans in Washington. Known colloquially as "The Gold Coast", these sections of 16th Street are lined with early 20th-century Tudor mansions. As 16th Street continues north through

1692-611: The nickname "Church Row." These include Foundry Methodist (attended by Presidents Hayes and Clinton), First Baptist (attended by Presidents Truman and Carter), the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church which was originally named the First Colored Baptist Church of Washington, D.C. (visited twice by President Barack Obama), St. John's ("Church of the Presidents"), All Souls Unitarian , Universalist National Memorial Church , St. John

1739-470: The north of Saul's Addition was subdivided as Fourteenth Street Terrace. While similar to Saul's Addition, the deeds did not prohibit semi-detached houses, and many duplexes can be seen on the 1300 blocks of Gallatin, Hamilton, and Ingraham Streets. Sixteenth Street Heights is represented as part of Ward 4 on the Council of the District of Columbia . Muriel Bowser served as councilperson before she became

1786-495: The performances are provided free of charge. The NPS still follows Carter T. Barron's original mission of providing quality performances to all residents in Washington, D.C. Partnerships, such as the Shakespeare Theatre Company "Free for All", the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington Post "Weekend's Weekend Concerts" help fulfill this goal. Carter T. Barron, the vice-chairman for the Sesquicentennial Commission,

1833-465: The performances have been provided free of charge. The adjacent William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center is part of the Carter Barron recreational facility. The Carter Barron Amphitheatre closed for repairs following a February 2017 inspection. The National Park Service (NPS) found that the stage's substructure was structurally unsound to handle the onstage weight of performers and equipment. If

1880-404: The press and theater professionals hailed the Sesquicentennial Amphitheatre itself as the best outdoor theater ever seen. The placement of the amphitheatre maximized the natural acoustics of the bowl of the hill and it quickly became known as a theater with "not a bad seat in the house." The original design has been changed little. In 1965, a curtain and track were added to the stage. In the 1970s,

1927-599: The sale. The subdivision known as Saul's Addition was generally bounded by Buchanan Street, Piney Branch Road, Gallatin Street, and Georgia Avenue. Two public buildings were planned: the John Dickson Home for Aged Men (now occupied by the LAMB Public Charter School ) and West Elementary School (which has been replaced by a modern building on the same site). Numerous restrictions were put in

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1974-514: The south, Longfellow Street to the north and 13th Street to the east. The community is also served by the Friends Of The 16th Street Heights Parks. Former Chancellor of District of Columbia Public Schools Michelle Rhee used to live in the neighborhood . 38°56′56″N 77°01′58″W  /  38.9488°N 77.0327°W  / 38.9488; -77.0327 16th Street Northwest 16th Street Northwest , briefly known as

2021-471: The south. However, it is also common to view Kennedy Street or Longfellow Street as the northern border of 16th Street Heights. All of 16th Street Heights lies within ZIP code 20011. Adjoining neighborhoods include: Sixteenth Street Heights is one of the most demographically diverse neighborhoods in the city. The homes along 16th Street and its surrounding corridor are primarily owned by affluent residents, while

2068-410: The time. (The original construction cost estimate was $ 200,000 but the actual cost totaled $ 563,676.90.) The amphitheatre opened on August 4, 1950. Paul Green, Pulitzer Prize winning playwright and author of the symphonic outdoor drama "The Lost Colony", was commissioned to write the opening season production. "Faith of Our Fathers" was a tribute to George Washington . It met with mixed reviews while

2115-563: Was born in Clarkesville, Georgia on January 30, 1905. He attended Georgia Tech where he played football for three years until a knee injury ended his career. He moved to Washington, D.C. in 1932 and remained until his death from cancer on November 16, 1950, just three months after the opening of the amphitheater. Barron was a community activist, and participated on numerous boards. He was manager of Lowe's Eastern Division of Theaters, MGM's point man in Washington, and an active promoter of

2162-597: Was developed by Pierre Charles L'Enfant as part of the 1791 L'Enfant Plan , the foundational urban plan of Washington. In 1920, more than 500 trees were planted along 16th Street between Alaska Avenue and Varnum Street to honor fallen soldiers from World War I. Today, the 16th Street World War I Memorial Trees and their corresponding markers have largely been lost to history. In July 2005, just before Congress's summer recess, Texas Republican congressman Henry Bonilla quietly introduced resolution H.R. 3525 to rename 16th Street NW " Ronald Reagan Boulevard" in honor of

2209-495: Was headquartered on the street until the late 1990s. By the end of the 19th century, 16th Street NW stretched some 2.5 miles from the White House north to Morris Road NW (now Monroe Street NW). On March 30, 1899, the United States Congress authorized the extension of the street to the D.C.- Maryland line. Within two years, the city completed condemnation proceedings to obtain the necessary land. But bridging

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