Proudfit Identified 2 Native Village Sites Inside DC - The 2nd Seems to Be Located on the Grounds of The US National Arboretum

In his 1899 article on Ancient Village Sites in Washington, DC, SV Proudfit said there were 2 sites. One was on the former Carroll Estate, the second "southeast of the Reform School on the Ancostia."

Here's how he marked it on his map:

Based on the topographic maps from the late 1800s, there was a hill, Hickey Hill, around that spot. 

Over the years, the land in that area was farmed in various spots, but largely undeveloped until it was bought in the 1920s to create the US. National Arboretum.

Here's how the area from thia 1890s map corresponds to the current map of the US. National Arb.

During the last week, I've been trying to contact the person at the Arboretum, which is part of the Dept of Agriculture, who is responsible for the archaeology done there.  

More details when I get them!

NAHD 2021 Video: Where in Washington, DC Can You Learn about the History of its Native People, the Anacostans?

 As a status report on the Native history of the Anacostans in DC, here is a 6 min. video that summarizes sites that exist in 2021. If any readers know of others, please be in touch!

Video link: https://youtu.be/WMA-fpiWUIo

Sorry to say, Maggie, but 100 years later, this is still true!

Recent and Upcoming Happenings

This blog has gotten a bit neglected recently. The FB DCNHP page seems to attract more attention. But this is a great place to do a liesurely summary of what has been happening and may happen regarding the Native history of DC!

 - Chasing after Bolling for the last 2 years may eventually pay off! A friend found an ad on an antropology website that they're trying to hire a person with an archaeology background for the air bases in the DC area and part of their work will involve dealing with Native American issues! 

- On Dec. 1, Piscataway leaders will be meeting with the DC Water people to hear their plans to incorporate Native history into the materials they produce for the public and mark some of their sites to include Native history (they have properties near Bolling AFB and Soapstone Valley). \\

- An effort to expand the name of Garfield Park to Garfield-Anacostan Park is being presented to the Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners in Dec (or maybe Jan.) A member of Charles Allen's staff has offered support in presenting a successful vote by the ANC to the full City Council! 

- The Sept. Washington Post article led to a number of additional presentations about the "Hidden Native History of DC," including a few high schools, an Oasis group based in Bethesda, and the Art Club of Washington.

Coming soon! A video for Native American Heritage Day on the status of where you can find some public mention of the Ancostans in 2021 DC.

Washington Post Story on Garfield Park Native History Day 2021

Garfield Park Native History Day 2021

Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021, we will host our second Garfield Park Native History Day! This year will include the documented archaeology of the Carroll Estate that adjoins the park, and the finds made when the park was built - we will also describe the new finds that have been made nearby since our last event in Garfield Park in 2019. Here are the flyer (excellently designed by Ben Aronson) and a press release for the day.

How Did The Anacostia River Get Its Name?

 During a zoom presentation to the St Peter School in November, a student asked me about how the Anacostia got its name and made me realize I was unclear about that.

Much of what we see now is a neglect of our Native history, so how did the river get its name?

It turns out that when Thomas Jefferson was serving as the first Secretary of State in the early 1790s, he was interested in learning the Native name for the river, and Andrew Ellicott, who was mapping the land that would become the District of Columbia sent him word that that the name was "Anna Kostia." 

Jefferson directed Ellicott to include the name on future maps, and Ellicott's 1793 map was the 1st to include a version of the name, Anacostia.

References:

1. Hutchinson, Louise D. The Anacostia Story, 1608-1930. Washington: Published for the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum of the Smithsonian Institution by the Smithsonian Institution Press, 1977. Print.

page xix (#27): (see para 2)

Pdf online: https://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/anacostiastor1600hutc

2. loc.gov call number for Ellicott 1793 map - G3850 1793 .E42 1898)

Martin Luther King/DC Public Library - Native Land Acknowledgement, Nov. 15, 2020

 The DC Public Library linked to the Once As It Was Map of DC on it's page for Native American Heritage Month!

Then they invited a small group of us (you'll see folks in the video below), for a tour of the new remodeled MLK building and an Anacostan Land Acknowledgement.

Many thanks to Richard Reyes-Gavilan, the Executive Director, and Ryan Williams and the rest of the great staff!