Tag: Tenleytown DC

Wikipedia says: Tenleytown is a historic neighborhood in Northwest, Washington, D.C.

In 1790, Washington locals began calling the neighborhood “Tennally’s Town” after area tavern owner John Tennally. Over time, the spelling has evolved and by the 19th century the area was commonly known by its current name, although the spelling Tennallytown continued to be used for some time in certain capacities, including streetcars through the 1920s.

The area is the site of Fort Reno, one of the forts that formed a ring around Washington, D.C. during the American Civil War to protect the capital against invasions. It proved to be the crucial lookout point for preventing a siege of Washington, because it is the highest, natural, elevation point in the District of Columbia.

Fort Reno was decommissioned with the surrender of the Confederate army. The last remains of Fort Reno were removed about 1900, when the land owned by the Dyer family was being prepared for a reservoir.

Due to its elevation it is also the site of the oldest home in Washington, D.C. Charles Jones’s home called “The Rest” was believed to be originally built around 1700 and majorly expanded around 1800.