Hillbrook in Northeast Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Lederer Gardens
Robert F. Lederer Community Gardens & Educational Center, MLK Sanctuary
— 4801 Nannie Helen Boroughs Ave —
Welcome to the Robert F. Lederer Environmental Education Center and Youth Garden. This center honors Robert F. Lederer, the Executive Vice President of the American Association of Nurserymen during the United States President Lyndon B. Johnson's term in office. Managed by the United States Department of Parks and Recreation, the facility promotes the ideas of urban gardening through educational programs and public community gardens.
In addition to providing an educational and urban gardening amenity for the community, the site is rich with American history. The site is located amid Marvin Gaye Park, a 1.5 mile stretch along the Watts Branch Creek in the northeast quadrant of Washington, D.C. The Park commemorates African American singer and songwriter Marvin Gaye, who in is early childhood, lived in the Deanwood neighborhood just northeast of the Youth Gardens. Along the Marvin Gaye Park Trail and just south of the gardens lies The King Nature Sanctuary, which commemorates a particular visit and speech that Dr. Martin Luther King gave to the community in a field where the Lederer Environmental Education Center now stands. The Marvin Gaye Park is one of the largest community park revitalization projects in Washington, D.C. history, and it has become a national model for both crime and violence reduction through inner-city
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The site was redeveloped in 2013 by the District of Columbia Building Industry Association for annual Community Improvement Day sponsored by local businesses. Branded as a "Play Garden", the site is an area to Learn, Grow, Eat, & Play. The site has ultimately become an educational park that promotes ideas of urban gardening in an effort to re-engage a community that once prospered with urban farming. All visitors are welcome to explore and utilize the gardens and activity areas throughout the site.
Erected by DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR).
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Agriculture • Arts, Letters, Music • Environment. A significant historical year for this entry is 2013.
Location. 38° 53.899′ N, 76° 55.915′ W. Marker is in Northeast Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in Hillbrook. Marker is on 49th Street Northeast south of Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue Northeast, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4801 Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue Northeast, Washington DC 20019, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. From Rural to Residential (within shouting distance of this marker); A Whirl on the Ferris Wheel (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); National Training School for Women and Girls / Nannie Helen Burroughs
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 23, 2017, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 608 times since then and 76 times this year. Last updated on March 7, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 4, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
