Existing comment:
Fort Reno:
Fort Reno was built at the highest point of the city. Its construction started in August 1861, and eventually it would contain 3,000 troops, making it the largest of the forts surrounding Washington.
After the war, real estate developer Onion and Butts divided Fort Reno into lots. The developer sold plots to both whites and African Americans, many of whom may have been "contrabands" who had settled around the fort. Despite living in close proximity, in the early 20th century the white and African American communities seemed to have little interaction. Both groups maintained separate social and religious organizations and sent their children to segregated schools.
At first, Reno City was a densely developed urban area surrounded by large tracts of rural properties. As time passed, the rural properties became high-priced homes. The more densely populated, primarily African American area attracted negative attention. In the 1920s, the construction of a water reservoir and water tower, two schools, and the ill will of nearby neighbors displaced Reno City. Most of the site is now a park run by the National Park Service. It is a green oasis within the very affluent Tenleytown neighborhood of upper Northwest Washington. |