North Portal Estates facts for kids
North Portal Estates is a lovely neighborhood located in Washington, D.C.. It's right at the very northern tip of the city! This area is known for its beautiful homes and quiet streets.
Contents
About North Portal Estates
North Portal Estates is a special place because it feels very much like a suburb, even though it's part of a big city. This is because it's surrounded by Rock Creek Park and doesn't have busy main roads running through it. Instead, you'll find winding streets and large houses with big yards.
Where is North Portal Estates?
This neighborhood is bordered by North Portal Drive to the south and East Beach Drive to the west and northwest. To the northeast, you'll find the peaceful Rock Creek Park. Even though it's a bit tucked away, you can easily get to North Portal Drive from 16th Street NW, which is a major road.
Who Represents North Portal Estates?
Like other areas in Ward 4 of Washington, D.C., North Portal Estates has a representative. This person helps make decisions for the community in the Council of the District of Columbia. Currently, Janeese Lewis George represents this area.
A Look at Its History
North Portal Estates has an interesting history, showing how neighborhoods can change over time.
Early Beginnings
When North Portal Estates was first built in the 1950s and 1960s, many wealthy Jewish families moved there. This was different from a nearby neighborhood called Colonial Village, which was mostly Protestant. At that time, some neighborhoods had rules called "racial covenants." These rules tried to stop certain groups of people from buying homes in specific areas. However, in 1948, the Supreme Court made a very important decision that said these racial covenants could not be enforced. Later, in 1968, the 1968 Fair Housing Act made them illegal.
Changes Over Time
After these laws changed, African-American families began to move into North Portal Estates in the late 1960s and early 1970s. By the 1980s, about two-thirds of the people living there were African-American. Many of the older Jewish families had moved away or passed on.
By the early 1980s, North Portal Estates became a top choice for African-American professionals in Washington, D.C. These were people like doctors, lawyers, business owners, religious leaders, and politicians. While the neighborhood is mostly Black, it is also multiracial, meaning people from different backgrounds live there. Some white Jewish families have stayed in the neighborhood. Today, North Portal Estates is still a very nice area, and it continues to be home to a mix of people from different backgrounds and income levels.
 | Jessica Watkins |
 | Robert Henry Lawrence Jr. |
 | Mae Jemison |
 | Sian Proctor |
 | Guion Bluford |
