A City-Wide Resource for Environmental Education, Recreation, and Reflection

Project Overview

Kingman Island and the adjacent Heritage Island will become a publicly accessible park that reconnects local citizens with the astonishing natural wonders of the Anacostia River. 

The District is working with the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and the Health Department’s Watershed Protection Division to restore the 45-acre parcel of land that lies at the center of many neighborhoods along the Anacostia River. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (US-ACE) created Kingman and Heritage Islands in 1916 from dredged sediment taken from the Anacostia River.

The islands were originally planned as a recreational area for the surrounding neighborhoods, but they have been neglected and abused for decades. The National Park Service owns Kingman Island’s northern half as part of Langston Golf Course. Ownership of the southern portion of the island was transferred from the U.S. Department of Interior to the District of Columbia in December 2000. The five-acre Heritage Island is to the west of Kingman Island. Plans include the restoration of the island’s natural wetlands and wildlife habitat and the creation of trails, canoe tie-ups, and a playground.

Other proposed elements for the project include a memorial grove of trees dedicated to District residents who were victims of the 9/11 tragedy and an Environmental Education Center that will be a premier destination for learning about the river’s restoration and the importance of environmental preservation.