Columbia Heights has a transit-themed playground
Nerd alert: Did you know there’s a transit-themed playground in Columbia Heights? It’s at 11th and Monroe NW, where the old 11th Street trolley used to turn around at the end of its route.
Although the actual trolley tracks are gone, the turnaround loop is still visible as a paved plaza area:
The playground equipment follows a rail theme, with multiple slides and other equipment incorporated into play trains, a ticket booth, and more.
There are even play tracks under the play trains.
Although the playground designers seem a little confused about what a streetcar looked like.
The brick wall lining the back side of the park is inlaid with decorative medalions that look like old Capital Transit Company trolley tokens.
A historical marker gives you the park’s history.
It reads, in part:
The first streetcars were drawn by horses and could only carry people short distances, but the introduction of the electric streetcars, capable of traversing more imposing terrain, opened up the hilly suburbs north of the old city, including this park at 11th & Monroe. Back in the trolley era, the streetcar entered from Monroe and exited back onto 11th Street. This turnaround was one of only 22 in the entire District.