landmark
Smithsonian's National Zoo
Free-admission zoo in Washington, D.C. that is part of the Smithsonian Institution, famous for its giant pandas.
2 km · about 5 min drive
North AmericaUnited StatesDistrict of Columbia
Columbia Heights
District of Columbia, United States · North America
About Columbia Heights
Columbia Heights works well as a base: 2km from Smithsonian's National Zoo.
Columbia Heights is in District of Columbia, United States, with about 38,000 people. You drive on the right here.
Columbia Heights is a neighborhood in Washington, D.C., located in the city’s Northwest quadrant. Bounded by 16th Street NW, W Street NW, Florida Avenue NW, Barry Place NW, Sherman Avenue NW, Spring Road NW, and New Hampshire Avenue
NW, the neighborhood is an important retail hub for the area, as home to DC USA mallRead more
and to numerous other restaurants and stores, primarily along the highly commercialized 14th Street. Columbia Heights is home to numerous historical landmarks, including Meridian Hill (Malcolm X) Park, National Baptist Memorial Church, All Souls Church, along with a number of embassy buildings.
Developed as a suburb after the U.S. Civil War, the area's growth accelerated in the early 1900s. The extension of the DC streetcar system in 1914 made the neighborhood a popular place to live among federal workers. In the 1940s, the designation of Cardozo High School as a "colored" school resulted in a demographic shift and the neighborhood became predominantly African-American. The 1968 Washington, D.C., riots devastated the area and turmoil in the 1970-80s followed. In light of this, Washington Metro edited the course of the Green Line in order to service riot-torn neighborhoods. In the late 1990s, the opening of the Columbia Heights station led to the redevelopment of the neighborhood. Today the neighborhood has diverse demographics.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Columbia Heights?
Within an hour or so of Columbia Heights: Smithsonian's National Zoo (2 km), The White House (3 km), National Mall (4 km), Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (4 km).
Where is Columbia Heights?
Columbia Heights is in District of Columbia, United States.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 38,000
- Continent
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Region
- District of Columbia
- Timezone
- America/New_York
- Coordinates
- 38.9257, -77.0294
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United States
AAA roadside assistance: 1-800-222-4357. Right turn on red is legal in most states unless signed otherwise.
Full driving guide for United StatesTags
Worth the detour from Columbia Heights
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
The White House
Official residence and workplace of the President of the United States since 1800, a symbol of American democracy.
3 km · about 5 min drive
landmark
National Mall
America's front yard stretching from the US Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, lined with iconic monuments, memorials, and Smithsonian museums.
4 km · about 10 min drive
museum
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Home to the Hope Diamond and over 148 million specimens, making it one of the world's premier natural history collections.
4 km · about 5 min drive
museum
National Gallery of Art
A free world-class museum on the National Mall featuring masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the present, including the only Leonardo da Vinci painting in the Americas.
4 km · about 5 min drive
museum
Smithsonian Museums
The world's largest museum complex with 21 museums and galleries, all free, including the Air and Space Museum and Natural History Museum.
4 km · about 10 min drive
landmark
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Moving black granite wall inscribed with the names of more than 58,000 American service members who died in the Vietnam War.
4 km · about 10 min drive
landmark
World War II Memorial
Grand open-air memorial on the National Mall honouring the 16 million Americans who served in the Second World War.
4 km · about 10 min drive
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