Nacotchtank Village

Welcome to the most historic stop on the reimagined Green line! (At least in terms of oldest historical reference.) The land which is now mostly Oxon Run National Parkway was once part of the home of the Nacotchtank tribe, the largest of the American Indian tribes in the 17th century. Though not immediately obvious, “Nacotchtank” is the name from which “Anacostia” is derived. The Nacotchtank used the surrounding wilderness to hunt wild game and grow corn, squash, beans, and potatoes. Their position at the confluence of the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers made the area an epicenter for travel and trade, and the Nacotchtank thrived until European explorers came and brought disease that devastated the tribe. By 1700, nearly all the Nacotchtank were gone.