Southwest: Evolution of ‘The Island’

Tour Overview

Washington DC’s Southwest Waterfront is a neighborhood of striking contrasts, where centuries of history meet ambitious modern development. Originally purchased by the Carroll family in the 1770s in a failed real estate venture, Southwest hosts some of the city’s earliest architecture and most contemporary design. By the 1830s, the waterfront teemed with shipyards, wharves, and warehouses, and later served as a military hub during the Civil War.

Postwar decline was swift. The Washington Canal, railroad tracks, and eventually a six-lane highway cut the neighborhood off from the rest of the city, earning it the nickname “The Island.” In the 1950s and 60s, vast swaths of the neighborhood were razed in the name of Urban Renewal, displacing over 23,000 residents. Today, sleek new development rises alongside mid-century modern apartments, historic landmarks, and hulking Brutalist offices.

What We’ll See

We begin outside the groundbreaking Arena Stage, a building-within-a-building and cornerstone of Southwest’s rebirth. Stepping back over two centuries, we’ll visit the Thomas Law House, an elegant Federal-style mansion built as an ill-fated “honeymoon house” for Martha Washington’s granddaughter.

Around the corner, Mid-century modernism dominates at cooperatives Tiber Island and Harbour Square, revealing the lofty ambitions and controversial outcomes of Urban Renewal. At Wheat Row, one of DC’s rare 18th-century rowhouses, we glimpse the neighborhood’s colonial roots. In dramatic contrast, across the street are the cylindrical townhouses of River Park Cooperative, built by the Reynolds Company as an experimental showcase for aluminum construction.

We’ll pause at Capitol Park, championed and designed by “the Leading Lady of Urban Renewal,” Chloethiel Woodward Smith in 1959, before exploring the Gallery of Southwest, an outdoor art space tucked beneath the highway. Passing Saint Dominic Church, a rare survivor of Southwest’s demolition, we’ll stop outside the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development to discuss the oft reviled (but occasionally lauded) Brutalist style.

Our tour concludes at The Wharf, where sleek new high rises, music venues and lively restaurants meet the centuries-old Municipal Fish Market — a fading relic of the waterfront’s earliest days.

Tour Highlights:

• Arena Stage
• Thomas Law House
• Tiber Island Cooperative
• Harbour Square Cooperative
• Wheat Row
• River Park Cooperative
• Capitol Park
• Gallery of Southwest
• Saint Dominic Church
• U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development
• The Wharf

Private & Group Tours

Private tours are available any day and time, and for groups of all sizes—from solo travelers and families to a full bus load! Check our private bookings calendar to reserve a walking tour for groups of up to twelve people. For times not listed online, groups larger than twelve, driving tours, or custom itineraries, please get in touch and we’ll help plan the perfect tour.

Where to Meet

Meet your guide near the entrance to Arena Stage at the corner of 6th Street and Maine Avenue SW, by the concrete benches.
GPS Address: 1101 6th St SW, Washington, DC 20024
Your tour will end at The Wharf near 901 Wharf Street SW in District Square.