Skyland Or Sousa City? Ready For Statehood?

by Mel Dyer

I am not a fan of proposed D.C. statehood, as I do not presently think Wards Seven and Eight are poised to benefit from it, ..but imagine the possibilities for a new River East!

Ever wonder what would happen to our River East neighborhoods, if Washington, D.C. became a state...was it Douglass Commonwealth (DC)? Will our eight wards become eight, new counties? Will the Advisory Neighborhood Councils, within those eight wards, become distinct and exciting, new towns?

Let's start, right here, ..with Seven Bee. Presently, we're a cluster of obscure neighborhoods, between historic Anacostia and Capitol Hill, with no unifying culture, civic relevance ..or identity. Imagine us, suddenly, our own municipality, ..just like Washington, DC.

What would we call ourselves?

1. Davistown, DC - taken from historic Fort Davis

2. Hillcrest City, DC - named for historic first neighborhood of ANC-7B

3. Randall Springs, DC - named for the first developer of the Southeast hills

4. Skyland, DC - inspired by what might become Downtown ANC-7B

5. Sousa City, DC - named for historic John Phillip Sousa Bridge

6. Barrington, DC - for late ANC-7B resident and beloved D.C. Mayor, Marion S. Barry

Imagine that hilly, historic, pseudo-suburban ANC-7B, with Skyland (above), as its downtown nerve center, is now an incorporated city in the new 51st state of Douglass Commonwealth. What should our new, shining city on a hillcrest be called?

We want to hear from you! Please leave your pick of the above SIX town names, in the 'Comments' thing, below.