U Street Corridor is largely a Victorian-era neighborhood, developed between 1862 and 1900, the majority of which has been designated a historic district. The area is made up of row houses 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. The 1700 block of U Street, N.W., in the Strivers' Section Historic District
Until the 1920s, when it was overtaken by Harlem, the U Street Corridor 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. Duke Ellington's childhood home was located on 13th street between T and S Streets. The Lincoln Theatre opened in 1921, and Howard Theatre in 1926.[6]
