Petworth, DC

Petworth, DC

Petworth is one of DC’s geographically largest neighborhoods and full of Wardman Style rowhomes, known for large front porches. And those porches, or the homeowners that sit out on them in the evenings, is what makes Petworth known for such a friendly neighborhood. They’re also used for Petworth’s Porchfest. What is a porchfest, you say? Well, it’s a day where bands play on the porches of homes and people walk around with lawn chairs and stop and listen. It’s concerts everywhere and a total celebration of music. Petworth boasts the largest Porchfest in the DC area with over 100 bands every Spring. Hyattsville, it’s neighbor neighborhood up on the Maryland/DC line, is it’s rival in that regard with a Porchfest that hast close to 60 bands in the Fall.

There are really two commercial centers to Petworth, Georgia Ave and New Hampshire Ave, where the metro stop is, and Georgia Ave and Upshur, where a slew of great restaurants, local shops, and bars are located.

One of DC’s hidden treasures is located in Petworth. Lincoln’s Cottage (off of Rock Creek Church Road), where President Lincoln used to vacation when he wanted to get away from the city is in Petworth. And Rock Creek Cemetery, an 88 acre graveyard established before 1712, is another hidden gem. It contains the artistically reknowned bronzed cast figure, The Adams Memorial, that is screened away from the rest of Rock Creek Cemetery by some carefully-placed foliage. The sexless figure is draped in a heavy shroud, and its face is free of any expression. A stone bench by the statue invites the visitor to rest and to find peace and solace in the intimate environs.

Petworth is a truly inviting neighborhood that’s known for it’s creative flair and that is dotted with historical sites and art.