MOUNT VERNON: Mount Vernon is the traditional cultural heart of the city. Named after George Washington’s Virginia estate, the centerpiece is the original Washington Monument surrounded by a historic cruciform park with statues & fountains. It used to house the city’s elite and therefore includes many lovely mansions (most of which have been broken up into apartments), museums, bars, restaurants, and hotels. It is centrally located between Downtown and Penn Station, which is great if you don’t own a car (like me). Trains are nearby, many bus lines run through the neighborhood, the Light Rail is on it’s western edge, and the metro (yes Baltimore has one!) is only a few blocks away. The neighborhood is no longer the epitome of wealth though, in fact it is quite affordable. A comparable residence in a similarly vibrant & historic neighborhood in Brooklyn or Boston would cost much more to live in. As new money floods into the waterfront neighborhoods of the city, Mount Vernon has remained quite reasonable. That is not to say it is undiscovered. It seems that everywhere wants to be Mount Vernon, as its traditional boundaries have greatly expanded. Former neighborhoods like Cathedral Hill, Belvedere, & part of Mount Royal have been swallowed up by what I call Greater Mount Vernon. I joke maybe the whole city will be called Mount Vernon one day. In any case the neighborhood feels very much like its own small historic city within a city. But that seems to be true of many of the city’s communities. The neighborhood has some of the most diverse population in the city featuring students who attend one of the colleges in the community, old money, a significant gay community, working class folks, Washington commuters, and lots of millennials. Anything goes in Mount Vernon. What I really love about living in this neighborhood is the European vibe that I feel here. People laugh when I say that until they see it too. The history, classic architecture, churches, music, fountains, museums, nightlife, and relaxed attitude all feel old world. Did I mention I love living here?
You captured ‘my’ neighborhood well. I look forward to seeing future posts.