Adams Morgan: Heart and soul of DC's diversity
If there's to be a diverse neighborhood that developed organically within the District, it's Adams Morgan. The centrally-located hodgepodge neighborhood has the largest population of Latinos and thus a large number of delicious Mexican, Salvadoran, Peruvian, Cuban and Guatemalan restaurants, as well as a growing population of immigrants from African, Caribbean and Asian countries who equally contribute to the wide selection of ethnic eateries. Adams Morgan is also the hub of nightlife for the fresh-out-of-college crowd, who swarm the main drag on almost all nights of the week.
Adams Morgan is actually a newer part of Washington. It was created in the mid-1950s by carving a section out of its three neighbors: Meredian Hill, Lanier Heights and Washington Heights. The name was formed from the two schools which fell into that section, two segregated elementary schools: Thomas P. Morgan (a black school) and John Quincy Adams (a white school), both of which were desegregated in 1955. The neighborhood is closely surrounded by the wealth of Dupont Circle and Kalorama Heights, as well as the more liberal Columbia Heights, thus making it a blend of all influences.
The name “Adams Morgan” evokes a lot of images for Washingtonians: lower rents, slightly sketchier streets, excellent Latino-type food for little price, Spanish signs, college interns with fake IDs, and the real grit that keeps a city from turning too vanilla. But as Adams Morgan becomes more popular with young families taking advantage of the lower cost of housing, the neighborhood is slowly driving out the minority immigrant population who simply can't afford the rising costs.
However, Adams Morgan still continues to serve its minority populations, particularly Latino. Mary's Center is a Spanish-speaking health clinic, and the Latino Economic Development Corporation supports Latino-run businesses. Adams Morgan's schools are also incredibly diverse, with 30 countries represented in its elementary schools.
Adams Morgan is also where a lot of non-traditional individuals seek refuge, through independent bookshops and coffeeshops, boutiques, low-key bars (before the young crowd stampedes through) and unique housing options. Liberals who want to relinquish a take on society usually like to gather in Adams Morgan.
For the younger partying crowd, the neighborhood is great fun with its range of bars and lounges that are typically described as “meat-markets," all within walking distance from each other. There are also several dive bars and a decent live music scene for people who like to “see bands."
HelloWashingtonDC Tip: Adams Morgan is a popular place for young people to live as well, because its non-Metro accessible location (the nearest is Woodley Park) creates slightly lower rents than the other popular hotspots of DC. It is, however, accessible through the Circulator bus as well as other bus lines.
Posted by Rin-rin Yu
