William H. Greene Stadium

The ground at 2400 6th Street Northwest holds a quiet history in the District. Originally Howard Stadium, it opened in the autumn of 1926 to replace facilities that had become too small for the university. It was renamed in 1986 for Dr. William H. Greene, a local physician who gave money to the school. The capacity has fluctuated since then, eventually settling at 10,000 for football matches after a renovation that year.

What stands out now is the playing surface. It is artificial turf, a change made in 1985 after years on natural grass that was often described as a dust bowl.

Howard University’s teams play here, using the space for football, soccer and lacrosse. The stadium has seen crowds much larger than its current official limit; the dedication match in 1986 drew over 18,000 people, including those standing. Plans to expand the venue further were abandoned in 1990.

William H. Greene Stadium remains a working ground for the university, its artificial surface a marker of that technological shift in the mid-1980s.