Let me say first that I am predominantly a baseball fan. I lived in the Washington, DC area for about 5 years recently. I have put together a web site about my search for a ball park known as "Swampoodle Grounds" (though my research revealed that the team preferred to call it "Capitol Park"). I was wondering if anyone here could shed some light on the term "Swampoodle", as I also discovered that a different ballpark, Shibe Park (later called Connie Mack Stadium), was built adjacent to a section of Philadelphia also known as the "Swampoodle" neighborhood. One thing that both areas seemed to have in common was a high concentration of Irish immigrants. My web site is a pretty quick and easy read at:

http://www.dickiethon.com/~swamp/Oodle/Swamp_Odyssey.html

I would appreciate any insights anyone might have into the term "Swampoodle" and any connection it might have to the Irish language or late-19th and
early-20th-century Irish immigrants. Thanks in advance for responses.

Hello, Jeff,

I haven't read all of your website so there's a chance you're already aware of the following quote from the U.S Government Printing Office web page. I've also included the link to that page.

The area known as Swampoodle in Philadelphia which would be in the vicinity of 25th and Lehigh near the old Shibe Park was at one time an area of Irish immigrant concentration. However, given the source of the nickname in Washington D.C. (marshlands) I would guess that the name has no significant connection with "Gaeilge." Just old fashioned swamps and puddles. The same would characterize the Philadelphia area between the Schukill and Delaware in the 19th century.

Slán
P.

"On the day that Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated President, March 4, 1861, the United States Government Printing Office opened its doors on H Street at North Capitol. The area was farmland gradually giving way to roads and buildings. Nearby Tiber Creek overflowed in wet weather, producing swamp and puddles, and gave rise to the neighborhood's nickname, 'Swampoodle.'"

http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/history/macgilvray.html