Brightwood
Even before Emancipation, free African Americans (one of whom, Elizabeth Proctor Thomas, appears on each sign) settled in this area as early as the 1820s. Eventually a small community that also included landowners and European American farmers arose centered on today's Georgia and Missouri Avenues.
Along with nearby Battleground National Cemetery, Fort Stevens is a daily reminder that the Civil War greatly affected the citizens of DC. In July 1864, Union and Confederate soldiers fought a momentous battle here, supported by residents and DC militia and witnessed by President Lincoln himself.
After the Civil War, Washington's peacetime economy soared. Over time Brightwood boasted a popular racetrack, country estates, and sturdy suburban housing as well as an ethnic mix of families, government clerks, and professionals.
The paintings
To purchase or inquire about a painting, please email dana@danaellyn.com
New paintings
Dana Ellyn is a full-time painter based in Washington, DC. She typically creates several new paintings each week, posting them here upon completion.