Which got us thinking: What other perfectly good neighborhood names should be jettisoned and replaced with something new? Remember, these names can only stick if you start using them.
14th Street NW north of Monroe Street: Wetworth Yes, this is really part of Columbia Heights. But it’s also southwest of Petworth, hence its new name, which is short for West Petworth.
The immediate vicinity of Union Station: SoNoMa Decades ago, this was Swampoodle. But why should the newish neighborhood to its north, NoMa (named because it’s North of Massachusetts Avenue), get more etymological attention? Meet So(uth of)NoMa.
Eastern Market: Fragerstown This area is already named for a commercial establishment. But when beloved Frager’s Hardware burned down last month, residents showed they’re ready to switch to a new name.
Dupont Circle: West Logan In the early days of the gentrification of Logan Circle, ambitious real estate agents would refer to the area as “East Dupont,” which was a stretch when applied to, say, 12th Street NW. Today, “West Logan” will help Dupont seem newly hip again.
H Street NE: Tobago Why? Because it’s near Trinidad.
Photo by Darrow Montgomery
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