Swampoodle was an Irish neighborhood in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

. A geographic approximation of its borders would be K Street

K Street (Washington, D.C.)

K Street is a major thoroughfare in the United States capital of Washington, D.C. known as a center for numerous think tanks, lobbyists, and advocacy groups.-Location:...

 to the north, G Street to the south, 1st Street NW to the west, and 2nd Street NE to the east. Through the center of it ran the principal branch of Tiber Creek

Tiber Creek

Tiber Creek or Tyber Creek was a tributary of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C.Originally known as Goose Creek, it was renamed after Rome's Tiber River as the lands southeast of then Georgetown, Maryland, were selected for the City of Washington, the new capital of the United States...

. The name Swampoodle is attributed to a newspaper reporter covering the ground-breaking of St Aloysius Catholic church in 1857, who referred to the land at the site on North Capitol and I street as containing numerous swamps and puddles - which often occurred when Tiber Creek overflowed its banks.

Early History

Swampoodle developed during the second half of the 19th century, providing a place of refuge for Irish emigrants following the Irish potato famine. It gained a reputation for being a lawless shantytown, where crime, prostitution and drunkenness were rife. At the core of the district was Jackson Alley - considered a virtual no-go area for the police. The area was also known for over-crowding and outbreaks of malaria, typhoid and dysentery. But Swampoodle was also a thriving community, whose Irish construction workers helped build Washington DC. As Swampoodle was then on the edge of the city, many of the residents kept goats and cows - sometimes in livestock pens among the alleys dividing their modest houses. This continued up to the early 20th century.

Impact of Union Station Construction

The demise of Swampoodle as a community began with the construction of Union Station in 1907. The plan involved the demolition of the core of Swampoodle, around Jackson’s Alley. As part of the plan, the remainder of Tiber Creek was also filled in. Over 300 houses were demolished to make way for the station and the rail yard. This physically divided the neighbourhood in two and led to many of the 1,600 former residents moving to other parts of the city. Rezoning also led to increased heavy industry in the area, making it unattractive for residential use. The Irish identity of Swampoodle died away and by the post-World War II period, even the name Swampoodle was largely forgotten.

In 1941, Uline Arena, later renamed Washington Coliseum was built in the area. The arena was a venue for many concerts, including The Beatles

The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

' first show in America, which took place in 1964. The arena was also the home of the Basketball Association of America

Basketball Association of America

The Basketball Association of America was a professional basketball league in North America, founded in 1946. The league merged with the National Basketball League in 1949, forming the National Basketball Association ...

's Washington Capitols

Washington Capitols

The Washington Capitols were a charter Basketball Association of America team based in Washington, D.C. The team was coached from 1946 to 1949 by NBA Hall of Famer Red Auerbach....

, coached by Red Auerbach

Red Auerbach

Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach was an American basketball coach of the Washington Capitols, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and the Boston Celtics. After he retired from coaching, he served as president and front office executive of the Celtics until his death...

, the American Basketball Association

American Basketball Association

The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...

's Washington Caps

Washington Caps

The Washington Caps were an American Basketball Association team from 1969 through 1970. The franchise had previously been the Oakland Oaks. From 1970 through 1976 the team played as the Virginia Squires.-Origins:...

, and other college and pro teams.

Relevance to Baseball

Swampoodle was home of the Swampoodle Grounds

Swampoodle Grounds

Swampoodle Grounds aka Capitol Park was the home of the Washington Nationals baseball team of the National League from 1886 to 1889. The park was named for the Swampoodle neighborhood....

, which was the home of the Washington Nationals baseball

Baseball

Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

 club from 1886

1886 in baseball

-Champions:* World Series St. Louis Browns 4, Chicago White Stockings 2*National League: Chicago White Stockings*American Association: St. Louis Browns-National League final standings:-American Association final standings:...

 to 1889

1889 in baseball

-Champions:*World Series: New York Giants 6, Brooklyn Bridegrooms 3*National League: New York Giants*American Association: Brooklyn Bridegrooms-National League final standings:-American Association final standings:-National League statistical leaders:...

.

Present

Today the area is occupied primarily by office complexes, railroad tracks, and Gonzaga College High School

Gonzaga College High School

Gonzaga College High School is a Jesuit high school for boys located in Washington, D.C. The school is named in honor of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, an Italian saint from the 16th century...

, a legacy of its original settlers. It is surrounded by some of the original dwellings, particularly in the Near Northeast section to the east of Delaware Avenue. The neighborhood got some press after a play about it debuted in 2011.