Anacostia River History
River of Resilience
The Anacostia River watershed spans 176 square miles in the District of Columbia and Maryland and is home to over 40 species of fish, over 200 species of birds, and over 1 million people. This interactive Story Map by Krista Schlyer explores history and current day conditions in several parts of the watershed.
Historic Imagery
These photos show what the Anacostia River looked like at different points in history.
View from Anacostia, showing Navy Yard and Capitol in center, Arsenal and White House at left.
W. J. Bennet, 1833.
Source: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
The Washington Navy Yard, with Shad Fishers in the Foreground, as seen from the southern side of the Anacostia River. The two ships moored along the waterfront, in front of the Western Shiphouse, are USS Pensacola (far left) and USS Pawnee. Note the uncompleted U.S. Capitol dome in the center distance.
Harper’s Weekly, April 20, 1861.
Source: US Navy Archives
US Army Corps of Engineers vessel dredging the mudflats along the river edge across from the Washington Navy Yard.
Photographer unknown, July 20, 1912.
Source: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Another perspective of the early US Army Corps of Engineers dredging operation from the banks of Anacostia Park looking towards Washington Gas Light Company’s East Station Site. Coal and oil were the main gas-manufacturing materials, while other by-products included tar, lampblack, and coke. Washington Gas manufactured gas continuously from 1888 to 1948 and intermittently until the mid-1980s.
Photographer unknown, 1921.
Source: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division
Originally a tidal marsh, Kenilworth Park was filled in with material dredged from the river by the Army Corps of Engineers in the early 1900s. From 1942 until 1970, the District of Columbia operated a landfill at Kenilworth Park. The Landfill received municipal waste and ash from several District municipal waste incinerators. Municipal waste was burned at the Landfill until 1968, followed by a two year period of landfilling without open burning. In 1970, the entire landfill had ceased operations, was covered with soil, revegetated, and reclaimed for recreational purposes. Read more.
Photographer unknown, May 24, 1967.
Source: National Park Service
Kingman Lake was once used as the dumping ground for incinerator residue, as seen in this photo from the archives of the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin.
Photographer unknown, 1967
Source: Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin
The Washington Gas - East Station Site seen from the air. The plant was demolished in 1986, and the above-ground oil storage tanks were removed in 1997. The operation of the manufactured gas facility caused contamination of soil, groundwater, and river sediments in the area. Read more.
Photographer: John Neubauer, 1973
Source: National Archives
Another view of the Washington Gas - East Station site from the Anacostia River. The plant was demolished in 1986, and the above-ground oil storage tanks were removed in 1997. The operation of the manufactured gas facility caused contamination of soil, groundwater, and river sediments in the area. Read more.
Photographer: John Neubauer, 1973.
Source: National Archives
Potomac Electric Power Company (PEPCO) operated the Benning Power Plant on the banks of the Anacostia River from 1906 until the facility was decommissioned 2012 and fully demolished in 2015. Read more.
Photographer: John Neubauer, 1973.
Source: National Archives
Another view of PEPCO’s (now closed) Benning Power Station and it’s location on the banks of the Anacostia River. In the foreground is the Benning Road waste transfer station operated by the District’s Department of Public Works which continues to operate.
Photographer: John Neubauer, 1973.
Source: National Archives