Named for a traffic roundabout removed by the city in 1947, Truxton Circle is an emerging D.C. community with a unique blend of cultural influences and a future rife with possibilities.
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Call it anything you like — Truxton Circle, East Shaw, Dunbar-Shaw, NoMA (North of Massachusetts Avenue) or its 19th-century moniker, Swampoodle — the neighborhood ensconced between the borders of New Jersey, Florida and New York avenues offers architectural beauty, cultural diversity and an incredibly rich history.
“I love the connection to Jazz, Ben’s Chili Bowl, the Howard Theatre — the whole groove of it,” said resident Jennifer Ragins, who has a degree in urban planning. “We have a beautiful history.”
For example, Duke Ellington and Billy Eckstein attended school in the neighborhood at Paul Laurence Dunbar High — D.C.’s first high school for black students.
The enclave dates back to the mid-19th century and was part of the Shaw urban renewal plan in 1966.
With a nod to General Shaw, along with many other Civil War influences, the community represents an epicenter of cultural diversity and African-American heritage. The interlocking stories of Paul Laurence Dunbar, Delevan Bates, Samuel Armstrong and Shaw, and their relation to the neighborhood, are numerous.
Once called the “Dean of Washington architects,” Appleton Clark designed the elegant two- and four-story Victorian row homes on P, Q, Third and Bates streets. The homes were so striking that the four-block area won a Gold Medal for Excellence in the 1900 Paris Exposition.
“It’s a gorgeous neighborhood with classic four-level Victorians on treelined streets and tree boxes nicely planted with flowers,” said real estate agent Linda Funabashi. “The neighborhood is affordable compared to Adams Morgan or Dupont, but still rather pricey, but it is a very sought-after neighborhood for young first-time buyers.”
A unifying force and nexus point of intersecting cultures, Big Bear Cafe brews the best coffee in the District — and the tea is not bad either.
“[The cafe] has really brought that neighborhood together,” Funabashi said. “It has fine coffees and the best fresh ginger tea I have ever tasted served in an authentic iron teapot.”
With Busboys and Poets and a Harris Teeter a few blocks away, the neighborhood promises an exciting future with more development on the way. Dunbar High is scheduled for renovation, as is the Armstrong building. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will be opening in the near future.
And Truxton Circle will continue to draw people from diverse backgrounds and occupations.
“I like that it’s a mixed neighborhood — economically, racially and socially,” said resident and architect Ira Tattelman. “People use the sidewalks, with dogs and children. One neighbor puts out extra vegetables from her garden when there’s a big harvest. One neighbor sweeps the entire block almost every weekend. There’s a local contractor who takes on neighbor projects for less than his usual fee.”
At the corner of P and Third, a boarded up Victorian apartment building awaits its next incarnation. It’s owned by a Georgian professor.
“I’m pushing for a wine bar,” said resident Caryn Nesmith, who plays an active role in the Bates Avenue Civic Association. “He wants a Georgian social club.”
The possibilities are endless for Truxton Circle — a name that many believed survived from the old city maps.
“It’s diverse and changing, and we are working hard to both maintain the respect for the diversity while seeing progress in our neighborhood that all can enjoy,” Nesmith said.
