COLORFUL by mabel65

These houses, typical of the neighborhood surrounding the U Street corridor, were mostly built following the American Civil War between 1862 and 1900, constructed rapidly by speculative builders and real estate developers in response to the city's high demand for housing following the Civil War and the growth of the federal government in the late 19th century. The corridor became commercially significant when a streetcar line operated there in the early 20th century, making it convenient for the first time for government employees to commute downtown to work and shop. Until the 1920s, when it was overtaken by Harlem, the neighborhood was home to the nation's largest urban African American community. In its cultural heyday, it was known as "Black Broadway", a phrase coined by singer Pearl Bailey. While the area remained a cultural center for the African American community through the 1960s, the neighborhood began to decline following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968. In the 1990s, revitalization of Adams Morgan and later Logan Circle began. More than 2,000 luxury condominiums and apartments were constructed in this area between 1997 and 2007. via 500px http://j.mp/1xDoeyj