The DC Office of Motion Picture and Television Development is pleased to recognize the Deanwood neighborhood in Northeast Washington as the April 2013 One City Location of the Month. The Deanwood neighborhood is a community east of the Anacostia River with a small-town atmosphere known for its hills, curvy roads and diverse single family homes.
Deanwood is bounded by the Anacostia Freeway, Eastern Avenue, Division Avenue, and Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue in Northeast Washington. Though simple frame houses can be found all over the neighborhood, each block has its own unique character. The neighborhood’s southeast corner has a suburban feel with detached single family homes; its curvy roads are lined with duplexes, many of which come with decks and big backyards; and the middle of the neighborhood is adorned with basic brick row houses lining Sheriff Road.
According to Urban Turf’s Amanda Abrams, “In the early part of the 20th century, Deanwood received a population injection from the southern U.S. and these new residents built their homes in styles they were familiar with; the area is still dotted with small houses that wouldn’t look out of place in North Carolina or Louisiana.”
The community was one of the region’s earliest all-African American enclaves, with several historic landmarks remaining today including the site of the National Training School for Women and Girls (now Nannie Helen Burroughs School), founded in 1909 by educator and civil rights and women’s rights activist Nannie Helen Burroughs; the home of prominent architectural engineer and civic leader Howard D. Woodson (the namesake of H.D. Woodson High School); and the Marvin Gaye Park, named after the late R&B singer Marvin Gaye. The community also is home to the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, 56 acres of beautiful tidal marsh and ponds on the Anacostia River.
The neighborhood has undergone a revitalization effort over the last couple of years known as the “Deanwood Strategic Plan.” The effort has resulted in a new 450-employee DC Department of Employment Services (DOES) building; the $10 million Nannie Helen Burroughs Great Streets Project featuring reconfigured single lane roadway to allow for traffic calming, landscaped medians, bicycle lanes and new sidewalks and lighting; and the new $33 million Deanwood Recreation Center and Library.
In 2011, the DC Film Office launched its One City Location of the Month to bring attention to the wide range of varied, cinematically compelling locations that are available to film and television productions. Former One City Location of the Month recipients include Hill Center in Southeast, the H Street corridor in Northeast, Letelier Theater in Northwest, and Arena Stage in Southwest.
To learn more about the Deanwood neighborhood and to view photos please visit the One City Location of the Month feature on our web site. If you are interested in using Deanwood for a future filming location, please contact us at [email protected].