Randall Recreation Center

Randall Recreation Center. founded in 1912. , The Randall Recreation Center is located in Southwest Washington, D.C. along JAmes Creek. With the construction of both the Washington City Canal and the James Creek Canal in 1815, Southwest was cut-off from the rest of the city and became known as "The Island." Following the Civil War (1861-1865), the Southwest population grew rapidly with a large European immigrant community including many Jewish families, and by 1880, Southwest was one of the major African American areas in the District., Schools and playgrounds were once segregated and Randall Playground was initially named "Cardozo Playground" after the nearby white school. African American children attended Randall School and, in 1927, there were 1,200 enrolled students. In 1935, Cardozo Playground was the largest recreation area in the city and one of only two playgrounds open to African American youth. After segregation ended, both schools joined under the name "Randall," and the playground name was changed as well., In 1935, management of Randall Park was transferred to the National Capitol Parks Office. At the time, some of the land was used for storage by the highway department and by the police department as a parking lot. Today, all of the parkland is used for recreation., During the 1960s, Randall Recreation Center underwent major renovations and a large outdoor swimming pool was added. Today, the park offices are located in the former "Old Dog Pound" building, which is now a historic landmark. The 8.7-acre recreation facility provides outdoor sports amenities and fields as well as a large, indoor multipurpose room. It represents an important community and recreational resource for residents of the rapidly growing Ward 6 neighborhoods located between the baseball and soccer stadiums and the Wharf.