Anacostia in Southeast Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Frederick Douglass's Rustic Retreat

Frederick Douglass National Historic Site

— National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —

Frederick Douglass's Rustic Retreat Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 10, 2019

1. Frederick Douglass's Rustic Retreat Marker

Inscription. Where do you go when you do not want to be disturbed? Frederick Douglass came to this tiny stone cabin that he called the Growlery. Coined by Charles Dickens, the word "Growlery" literally means a place to growl.

Douglass kept his Growlery simply furnished with a desk, stool, and couch. He retreated here to do some of his deep thinking, reading, and writing in seclusion.

The structure in front of you is a reconstruction. It was rebuilt in 1891 on the Growlery's exact location using materials salvaged from the original building.

Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music. A significant historical year for this entry is 1893.

Location. 38° 51.773′ N, 76° 59.112′ W. Marker is in Southeast Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in Anacostia. Marker can be reached from W Street Southeast east of 14th Street Southeast, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1411 W Street Southeast, Washington DC 20020, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Frederick Douglass National Historic Site (within shouting distance of this marker); The Sage of Anacostia (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line);

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Uniontown, DC's First Suburb (approx. 0.2 miles away); Mother Churches and Their Daughters (approx. 0.2 miles away); Rose's Row (approx. ¼ mile away); Education Matters (approx. ¼ mile away); Transit and Trade (approx. ¼ mile away); Good Times on Good Hope (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Southeast Washington.

Additional commentary.
1. Caption from the marker
The Growlery around 1893.
An orchard once stood behind it.

— Submitted May 19, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.

Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 10, 2019

2. Frederick Douglass's Rustic Retreat Marker

The Growlery is in the background.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 10, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 331 times since then and 43 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 10, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.