Georgetown in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Poplar Street
Georgetown African American Heritage Landmark
| | 2020 | |
Early wealthy Georgetown residents built dwellings in alleys to house poor white staff and enslaved. By the late 1910s, mostly African Americans lived in these homes. Poplar Alley served 32 African Americans living in 11 small wood frame houses. The New Deal brought an influx of government workers, artists, and intellectuals to Georgetown looking for housing. In response, the Alley Dwelling Act of 1934 established an agency to acquire these small dwellings for "improvement." Residents of Poplar Alley were displaced and the houses were restored, renamed "coach houses," and sold to District of Columbia newcomers. Only a few of the 1869 dwellings remain.
Erected 2020 by Georgetown African American Historic Landmark Project.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Charity & Public Work • Roads & Vehicles • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1934.
Location. 38° 54.539′ N, 77° 3.422′ W. Marker is in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in Georgetown. It is at the intersection of 28th Street Northwest and Poplar Street Northwest, on the right when traveling north on 28th Street Northwest. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1409 28th Street Northwest, Washington DC 20007, United States of America. Touch for directions.
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Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American Northeast, in the Upper South, in the Mid-Atlantic, in the Tidewater, and in the Chesapeake Bay Region. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Alfred and Hannah Pope (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Herring Hill (about 400 feet away); Mt. Zion United Methodist Church Parsonage (about 400 feet away); Mt. Zion United Methodist Church (about 500 feet away); Mount Zion United Methodist Church and Heritage Center, and the Female Union Band Cemetery (about 500 feet away); Epiphany Catholic Church (about 500 feet away); Margaret Peters and Roumania Peters Walker (about 600 feet away); First Baptist Church, Georgetown (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Northwest Washington.
Additional keywords. urban displacement; urban renewal
Credits. This page was last revised on January 27, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 29, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 348 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 29, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
