Founded between 1873 and 1877, Le Droit Park became the first suburb in the Washington DC area exclusively open to whites.
Le Droit Park was developed by one of Howard Universitys trustees, Amzi Lorenzo Barber. Mr. Barber was an early participant in the car industry and a pioneer of the asphalt industry in the United States. Upon the resignation of his term as a trustee of Howard University, Mr. Barber purchased some 40 acres of University land than hired James McGrill as the parks architect. Amzi Barber, named the neighborhood after his father-in-law LeDroict Langdon
By 1877, 50 homes had been built designed by James Mc Grill.
ACCORDING TO A HISTORICAL ACCOUNT GIVEN BY Ms. Lauretta Jackson"
"Le Droit Park was not a large subdivision. There were but five streets running north and south; three streets running east and west. The streets were named for trees, beginning with Second Street which had the name of Le Droit Avenue; Third Street was Harewood Avenue; Fourth Street was Linden Street; and Fifth Street was Larch. Boundary Street, now Florida Avenue, was from Second Street to Sixth Street as the southern boundary of Le Droit Park. Running east and west, Tea Street was Maple Avenue; You Street was Spruce Street; Elm Street still retains its tree name; and Oak Court is now Oakdale Place.
The subdivision was highly covenanted and restricted. There were gates at Second Street and Sixth Streets. Residents only were permitted to come and go. Any outsider had to have permission to enter. These gates were a barrier between Le Droit Park and the outside. Le Droit Park was built as an exclusive suburb of Washington, D.C."
Le Droit Park Historic District is roughly bounded by Rhode Island and Florida Aves. on the south; Howard University on the west; Elm St. on the north; and 2nd St. on the east. A fence was built around the complex to stop outsiders from coming In but in the month of July of 1888, the fence was torn down by protesting African Americans, which showed a sign that integration was coming to the area.
In a story article published by the NATIONAL PARK SERVICES OF THE US DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, it is stated that in
"In 1893, a barber, Octavius Williams, became the first African American to move into the subdivision. The Le Droit area was integrated for only a short time, and by the beginning of World War I, the white families had moved out."
Le Droit Park was also the home of prominent figures such as Robert A. Terrell, the first African American municipal Judge and his wife, Mary Church Terrell, a distinguished educator and civil rights activist. She was also the first African American to serve on the DC School Board.
Major Christian Fleetwood, a Civil War hero, General Benjamin Davis, the first African American general, and violinist Clarence Cameron White also resided in Le Droit Park. Walter Washington, the first mayor of DC and his wife, Benetta resided at 408 T Street, and the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar resided at 321 U Street.
Residents have split feelings when it comes to crimes being committed in the Le Droit Park area. According to a blogger on citydata.com : "Crime seems pretty bad. Within one week I've had my bike stolen and my car broken into (from an alley), which sucks. I do see people getting arrested all the time."
Another felt differently about crime issues in the area, as a response to CH, blogger jm67 replied: "Heh... funny how things go. Nobody has touched my car here in six years but I had my window broken twice in Dupont (15th & R). But yeah, I do hear about car break-ins here. It probably helps that my car is sufficiently lousy that nobody wants to touch it.
Despite its pegudicial History, Le Droit Park remains a landmark in the DC area, many of the homes have remainded the same giving it that 1800's style one might appreciate.
http://www.city-data.com/forum/washington-dc/357237-ledroit-park-apartment-cr...
If you ever feel the need to see Le Droit Park park with your own eyes, you can always catch the metro to Shaw howard or u street Cardozo.
Wile you're in Le Droit Park,u can always grab a bite at Zee's Restaurant on Florida Avenue at Sixth Street. Zee is a The Trinidadian family-run restaurant. A sign of a now diverse Le Droit Park
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St Louis' Historic Districtsby stlouisjef6,286 views
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