P Street

This P Street is the oldest of the four: the northern boundary of the City of Washington in the District of Columbia, as surveyed in July 1795, listed the P Street ford at Rock Creek as the starting point of the city's original northern boundary.

The P Street ford marked the farthest point at which ocean-going ships could travel up Rock Creek.

[5] P Street NW was also home to the city's earliest free African American residents.

One of the first free blacks to buy property in the city was Lethe Hill, who purchased a lot at P and 30th Streets in 1819.

[9] In 1885, Major General John A. Logan purchased the "Stone Mansion" on Iowa Circle and P Street NW.

Greenleaf built large residential townhomes along P Street SW in 1794-1795, but sold the property shortly afterward.

[14] In the early 1870s, the homes here were purchased and demolished by the Metropolitan Railroad to build its 4-1/2 Street Car Barn and Shop.

[17] P Street SE is fragmented and truncated due to the topography of the eastern side of the Anacostia River.