Foggy Bottom in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Leonard A. Grimes

(1815 - 1873)

Photographed By Richard E. Miller, September 4, 2011

1. Leonard A. Grimes Marker

Inscription.
Leonard A. Grimes, a Black man born free in Leesburg, Virginia, owned a residence on this corner from 1836 to 1846.

In the 1830s, he owned a successful coach business transporting passengers in and around Washington. He also carried slaves seeking freedom in the North and was an early organizer of the Underground Railroad.

From 1840 to 1842, he was imprisoned in Richmond for aiding an escape. In 1846 Grimes moved with his family to New Bedford, Massachusetts where he continued his anti-slavery activities.

Seeking a larger scope for his work, in 1848 he moved to Boston where he distinguished himself as a cleric, abolitionist and statesman.

Erected 2007 by The George Washington University.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • African Americans • Industry & Commerce • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1836.

Location. 38° 53.98′ N, 77° 2.924′ W. Marker is in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in Foggy Bottom. Marker is at the intersection of H Street Northwest and 22nd Street Northwest, on the right when traveling west on H Street Northwest. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Washington DC 20052, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8

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other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Aleksandr Pushkin (a few steps from this marker); ΦΒΚ (Phi Beta Kappa) (within shouting distance of this marker); Pembroke College, Oxford, Coat of Arms (within shouting distance of this marker); Veterans Memorial Park (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); John A. Wilson, D.P.S. '92 (about 300 feet away); Helios the Titan, 2006 (about 400 feet away); Liberty Baptist Church (about 400 feet away); Free Mandela (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Northwest Washington.

Also see . . .
1. The GWU press release. (Submitted on September 9, 2011, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland.)
2. House Divided - Civil War Research Engine at Dickinson College. (Submitted on September 10, 2011, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland.)

Additional keywords. Leonard Alexander Grimes; First Monument to the Underground Railroad in District of Columbia; Leonard A. Grimes Homesite.

Photographed By Richard E. Miller, September 4, 2011

2. Leonard A. Grimes Marker

Leonard A. Grimes Marker, GWU, H and 22nd Streets, NW image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Richard E. Miller, September 4, 2011

3. Leonard A. Grimes Marker, GWU, H and 22nd Streets, NW

Leonard A. Grimes image. Click for full size.

Cropped, sized, and prepared for use here by John Osborne, Dickinson College, July 11, 2009.

4. Leonard A. Grimes

William J. Simmons, Henry McNeal Turner, Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive and Rising (Cleveland OH: G. M. Rewell & Co., 1887), 664.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 9, 2011, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,553 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 9, 2011, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. 4. submitted on September 10, 2011, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.