Brookland is a neighborhood in the Northeast quadrant of Washington, D.C., historically centered along 12th Street NE. Brookland is bounded by 9th Street NE to the west, Rhode Island Avenue NE to the south, and South Dakota Avenue to the east. Michigan Avenue is the northern boundary between 9th and 14th Streets; however, Brookland also includes the Mount St. Sepulchre Franciscan Monastery, which gives the neighborhood a northward panhandle between 14th and South Dakota that extends to Taylor Street. The President Lincoln and Soldiers' Home National Monument is also located near Brookland. (It is technically in Park View.) The Lincoln cottage was the once rural place where President Abraham Lincoln spent the summers of 1862 to 1864, to escape the heat and political pressures of Washington. Brookland has been nicknamed "Little Rome" by some for the many Catholic institutions clustered around The Catholic University of America (CUA), Brookland's main attraction.

Brookland is served by the Brookland-CUA station on the Red Line of the Washington Metro.

President Lincoln had a cottage in the area which was mostly farmland in the 19th century. In 1840 Colonel Jehiel Brooks built a mansion which was referred to as Brooks Mansion. This "Brookland" came into bring.  The DC street cars helped this part of the city grow and then in the late 1800s, the Roman Catholic Church bought large tracts of land.  Now home to Catholic University of America (CUA), Trinity University, the Mount St. Sepulchre Franciscan Monastery, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center which opened in 2001.

In this neighborhood you will find different styles of rowhouses, small condo buildings and condo conversations as well as many Queen Anne style and other Victorian homes. Of course with any college area, there are also several dorm-like apartments and low-rise buildings to accommodate the students of the area.

Brookland has its main retail area along 12th street NE. Everything from Art Galleries and Beauty Shops to Coffee Shops and an Animal Hospital.  Here is a great LINK to see the Brookland Businesses.

The METRO, DC's subway system serves the Brookland Neighborhood at the Brookland/CUA Metro stop; on the Redline.  ZIP CARS are also readily available at the Metro Station. Rent a car for a couple hours or the day!

The location of Washington DC's Brookland Neighborhood has many benefits for its residents.  Less than a mile from the Maryland border; it is reasonable 12 miles to the NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and 21 Miles to Ft Meade. It is located close (about 7 miles) from the very convenient Washington National Airport; about a 15 minute drive or a bit farther to BWI Airport, about 30 Miles.  For the spots enthusiasts; the BRAND NEW Washington Nationals Baseball Stadium a short 4 miles away or a quick subway ride.

Home prices in Brookland are some of the most reasonable in the District. They are currently ranging in price from $175,000 for a good-sized 800 sq. ft. 1-bedroom condo; to $750,000 for a beautiful - NEW 4000 Sq. Ft. Single family, 5 Bedroom, home.

In March '08; the Average Sold Price for a home was $369,343, with an average “Days on the Market” of 121.  Lower than DC ($535,645) and 80 Days on the market.

Brookland is also home to the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, which offers exhibits, special programs and more. And within a short drive of the neighborhood center, you can visit the city's oldest cemetery and the magnificent gardens of the U.S. National Arboretum.

History
The area called Brookland evolved in the early 1870s, when the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad opened its western branch line in this area. The rail line was situated alongside the fine 1840 Greek Revival farmhouse, Brooks Mansion, home of Colonel Jehiel Brooks.

By the late 1880s, Catholic University established its location just north of Brooks farm. Developers quickly responded to these expansions, creating a new Washington neighborhood beyond the central city and taking its name from Col. Brooks.

In the early days, Brookland, a community of wooden houses – from Victorian Queen Anne to Craftsman-style bungalows – attracted government workers, a few Smithsonian Institution scientists, and people of many ethnic backgrounds who shared the Catholic faith.

Some examples of Brookland Residential Architecture, for the most part, middle-class residential housing, include: a Queen Anne style at 3425 14th Street, NE, The Rodessa, a 1920s Sears and Roebuck catalogue house at 1518 Hamlin Street, NE, and a Victorian cottage at 1351 Otis Street, NE.

African American Presence
A rich African American Heritage resulted from an expanded African American presence in the 1930s, adding to the diversity of Brookland. Of particular note are 13 International-style houses designed by Hilyard Robinson and Howard H. Mackey, two of Washington's most prominent African American architects in the 1930s. One of their designs is the Ralph Bunche house, built for the Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Many other notable black Washingtonians made their home here, including the entertainer Pearl Bailey, the poet Sterling Brown, HUD Secretary Robert Weaver, Senator Edward Brooke, and Rayford Logan.

Still a racially mixed neighborhood today, the Brookland community enjoys an interesting history of civic activism. Most recently it rescued Colonel Brooks mansion, which still stands near the Brookland Metro station, a symbol of this community and its heritage.

Little Rome
The area's numerous Catholic institutions offer interesting architectural models and religious sculpture. They also provide a significant resource for Catholic studies. Libraries and collections such as the Dominican House of Studies, the Marist College Library, Oblate College and Theology Library, and Trinity College make their resources available to serious researchers.

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Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brookland,_Washington,_D.C.
http://activerain.com/blogsview/474419/brookland-profile-of-a-washington-dc-neighborhood-http://www.culturaltourismdc.org/information2550/information.htm?area=2518