The area's growth intensified when electric streetcars were built on 18th Street in 1892 and Columbia Road in 1896.

The African American population was originally limited to the servants and janitors who lived where they were employed.

Racial attitudes regarding the changing demographics led to white flight for the suburbs in the 1950s and 1960s, which also depressed property values.

At that time Spanish speaking residents began to move into the area because of its affordable housing and because of its proximity to the Latin American embassies.

As turmoil gripped the Latin American countries in the 1960s their numbers began to swell in the neighborhood.