Washington’s historic Anacostia boathouses, sometimes called Boathouse Row, include four clubs dedicated to motorized recreational boating - Eastern Power Boat Club (1905), Washington Yacht Club (1910), Seafarers Yacht Club (1945), and the former District Yacht Club (1950) – all located on the west bank of the Anacostia along M and Water Streets SE.
The clubs share a history that includes, first and foremost, a love of the Anacostia River, but also stories of forced moves around its banks, damaging weather events, exclusionary policies in both the private and government sectors, and a strong sense of environmental responsibility. The stories of these clubs - how they demonstrate the city’s relationship with the Anacostia and how they have promoted an uplifting of the community through education and recreation – was the topic of the October 7 lecture given by Anne Brockett, an architectural historian at the D.C. Historic Preservation Office for over 20 years.
