resume April 2012

A series of weekly walking tours that focus on D.C. neighborhoods and historic sites.

 Many of the walks highlight sites located along District of Columbia Neighborhood Heritage Trails produced by Cultural Tourism DC

• All walks begin at 11:00 a.m. and last two hours unless noted.
•  All walks take place rain or shine.
• Cost $15 per person unless noted (age three and younger free)

Get Local walks offered in 2011 were:

APRIL 2

Capitol Hill and Eastern Market

MEET OUTSIDE EASTERN MARKET METRO STATION

Highlights “Tour of Duty:  Barracks Row Heritage Trail”

Although the outside world may associate the term Capitol Hill solely with the U.S. Congress, those who make Washington their home conjure up a very different image:  a vibrant neighborhood spread across one of the largest historic districts in the country filled with quaint row houses, leafy parks, shops and cafes, churches and schools.  A stroll through residential Capitol Hill is akin to visiting a small town.  Pride of place is evident in the careful restoration and loving upkeep bestowed upon the 19th century homes, their postage stamp-sized gardens adorned with flower beds and shrubs.  Although many of the stately row houses seen on this walk were not built until after the U.S. Civil War, Capitol Hill is nonetheless one of Washington’s oldest neighborhoods, first developed during the late 1790s just as the federal government prepared to locate here permanently.  This exploration includes the remains of a 1795 estate, a watering hole famous for its jazz singers, an alley that once teemed with 100 residents and a park teeming with young children and dog lovers.  We’ll finish at beloved Eastern Market, considered by many to be the heart and soul of “The Hill.” (Sponsored by Washington Walks and Cultural Tourism DC)

Led by Dwane

APRIL 9

The U.S. Capitol and Its Co-Stars

MEET OUTSIDE CAPITOL SOUTH METRO STATION

Walk around democracy’s best-known symbol, the U.S. Capitol, and past the buildings housing America’s legislative and judicial branches of government. You will discover that “Capitol Hill” does indeed describe a rise in the ground upon which the monumental edifice stands, and that all neighboring buildings were designed so as not to detract from the domed star of the show. You’ll stroll through the Capitol’s park-like setting, one of the most pleasing outdoor spaces in the city, featuring historic trees, fountains, outdoor sculpture and a hidden grotto. The Library of Congress, U.S. Botanic Garden, and U.S. Supreme Court are all stops, as is the dramatic memorial to General Ulysses S. Grant, portraying the brutal realities of war. You’ll hear about the exterior of the U.S. Capitol itself – how it was designed, why it was burned, the roles slaves played in its creation, and what actually goes on inside.

Led by Mary Anne

APRIL 16

A Taste of D.C.

MEET OUTSIDE ARCHIVES-NAVY MEMORIAL-PENN QUARTER METRO STATION

This walk lasts three hours and is $20 per person. Cost of snacks not included in the walk fee.

Come along on this three-hour nibble-and-nosh fest to DC phenomena that celebrates the locally grown and locally invented. We’ll stay on the move, serving up some of our favorite tales of gastronomic history along the way -- from the inaugural party turned food fight to Mrs. Terrell’s quiet milestone in civil rights. Our territory first covers the heart of downtown, where nary a suit in the lunch-hour crowd realizes he’s swarming in Washington’s former market neighborhood. These days think bubble tea, ginger scones and artisan cheese only a stone’s throw away.  Bring along a subway fare card, as we’ll next be hopping the Metro to catch one of DC’s most famous drop-in eateries.  We’ll introduce you to an edible creation known as a half-smoke, show you were to eat injera, and then stop in for a dessert course at the bakery/café founded by one of DC’s Food Network celebrities.

Led by Amy

APRIL 23

Abraham Lincoln’s Washington

MEET OUTSIDE McPHERSON SQUARE METRO STATION’s White House exit

2011 begins the four-year observance of the 150th anniversary of the U.S. Civil War.

As a young man, Abraham Lincoln “feared of achieving nothing that would make men remember him.” A single gunshot ensured that he would never be forgotten. He served as U.S. president during the Civil War, the bloodiest conflict to have occurred on American soil. Washington, D.C. was the crucible in which Lincoln’s momentous years in office were cast. Although downtown adjacent to the White House has retained little of its Civil War-era character, if you know where to look, the events of Lincoln’s time in the city come to life, whether you are studying a 20th century office building or a Victorian row house. The busy streets filled with Washingtonians going about their business and slow-moving, congested traffic are not that different today than they would have been in the 1860s, when the president himself made his way--except that 21st century Washingtonians benefit from sidewalks to upon which to tread and paved thoroughfares on which to drive. In Lincoln’s day it would have been a muddy slog. However you make your way, the climax of the Lincoln’s Washington story was tragic: he was the first American leader to be assassinated.

Led by David

APRIL 30

Columbia Heights

MEET OUTSIDE COLUMBIA HEIGHTS METRO STATION’s north exit by the Columbia Heights Heritage Trail sign

Highlights “Cultural Convergence” Columbia Heights Heritage Trail

 The 14th Street corridor between Irving Street and Park Road was one of Washington’s most important shopping and entertainment destinations outside downtown. That is until April 4, 1968, when riots following the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. sparked extensive looting and burning of commercial property. For decades afterwards, boarded-up businesses and empty lots marred the formerly vibrant Columbia Heights. Nearly 40 years later, change has swept the area once more: the opening of the Columbia Heights Metrorail station in 1999 spurred construction of apartment buildings, row houses, and the massive shopping complex D.C. USA. 

Led by Brian

MAY 7

Kalorama

MEET AT THE CORNER OF 22ND STREET AND DECATUR PLACE, N.W. BY THE OLD POLICE AND FIRE CALL BOXES

Highlights Sheridan-Kalorama Art on Call

Joel Barlow named the estate he purchased in 1807 Kalorama for the expansive views to be had from its place overlooking today’s Rock Creek Park.  No more exquisitely beautiful enclave exists in America’s capital.  Kalorama has always been a prime residential area, its glory the urban mansions located on the high ground between Massachusetts and Connecticut Avenues.  We’ll start by ascending the “Spanish Steps” to reach the heights where Washington’s diplomatic community is evident everywhere you look, many of the original single family homes now occupied by ambassadors or embassy offices.  Former police and fire call boxes punctuate the neighborhood as imaginative works of public art as does a brightly colored panda.  See if you can identify the oldest house in the District and discover the Woodrow Wilson House.  Wilson was the only U.S. president to retire in D.C.  Like him, once you’ve sampled the architectural and natural radiance that is Kalorama, you won’t want to leave!   

Led by Carolyn

MAY 14

Mount  Pleasant

MEET IN FRONT OF CAPITAL CITY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL (3047 15TH STREET, NW) 

Higlights "Village in a City" Mount Pleasant Heritage Trail

With its main street, town square, and distinct boundaries, Mount Pleasant still feels like the village it once was. As the city grew around it after the Civil War, Mount Pleasant evolved into a fashionable streetcar suburb, sprouting businesses, churches, and elegant apartment buildings. Later it became a working-class urban neighborhood, a haven for immigrants fleeing political turmoil, and the heart of DC’s Latino community.

 Led by Amy

MAY 21

Logan Circle

MEET OUTSIDE McPHERSON SQUARE METRO STATION’s 14th Street exit

Few Washington neighborhoods have witnessed the dramatic change and breathtaking renaissance of Logan Circle, the city's only unaltered Victorian residential district.  It evolved from rural obscurity to an enclave of architectural splendor, home to wealthy white and later African-American residents.  If you're a fan of Second Empire or High Victorian Gothic homes, this walk is for you.  If you're fascinated by the dynamics of urban neighborhoods, consider the residents of Logan Circle:  Their tenacity and vision preserved the historic district when it teetered on the brink of decline.  Today it is one of the most sought-after addresses in Washington.  Impressive restoration and renovation continue; cool restaurants and shops multiply.

Led by Carolyn

MAY 28

The U.S. Capitol and Its Co-Stars

MEET OUTSIDE CAPITOL SOUTH METRO STATION

Memorial Day weekend is the perfect occasion for a walk around democracy’s best-known symbol, the U.S. Capitol, and past the buildings housing America’s legislative and judicial branches of government. You will discover that “Capitol Hill” does indeed describe a rise in the ground upon which the monumental edifice stands, and that all neighboring buildings were designed so as not to detract from the domed star of the show. You’ll stroll through the Capitol’s park-like setting, one of the most pleasing outdoor spaces in the city, featuring historic trees, fountains, outdoor sculpture and a hidden grotto. The Library of Congress, U.S. Botanic Garden, and U.S. Supreme Court are all stops, as is the dramatic memorial to General Ulysses S. Grant, portraying the brutal realities of war.  Hear about the exterior of the U.S. Capitol itself – how it was designed, why it was burned, the roles slaves played in its creation, and what actually goes on inside.  You’ll also get a up-close look at the stage and set for the National Memorial Day concert.

Led by Mary Anne

Marching Along with John Philips Sousa

MEET OUTSIDE EASTERN MARKET METRO STATION

If you can hum the theme song to the iconic television show Monty Python’s Flying Circus, you already know something about John Philip Sousa.  Fall in step with Washington Walks guide Dwane Starlin, in uniform as D.C. native son, John Philip Sousa.  Born to immigrant parents from Portugal and Bavaria, Sousa grew up beneath the shadow of the U.S. Capitol dome.  At the age thirteen he attempted to run away with the circus, but (fortuitously) was persuaded to join the U.S. Marine Band as an apprentice musician.  Eventually he became its conductor, taking the band to the highest musical and performing standards ever attained by an American military band and serving under five U.S. Presidents.  Sousa enjoyed an equally successful career after leaving the Marine Band, touring the world with his own band. (The group logged over a million travel miles!)  A legendary composer, he wrote over 135 marches, "Stars and Stripes Forever" and "The Washington Post March" being two of the most famous.  Here’s a chance ring in Memorial Day in “march time.”

JUNE 4

What’s Wrong with K Street?

MEET OUTSIDE McPHERSON SQUARE METRO STATION’S White House exit 

Maybe nothing; maybe everything.  By the 1870s, K Street in today’s downtown Washington was the fashionable location for large mansions.  Over the next 100 years, these K Street residences were converted to multi-family housing, then boarding houses, and finally replaced by office buildings.  During the 1960s and 1970s, Washington witnessed the creation of a new downtown along K Street.  While preservation movements were active in neighborhoods like Dupont Circle and Georgetown, it was accepted with more nostalgia than dissent that K Street was an office district; its buildings could be sacrificed in the name of improvement.  Developers seized the moment to construct a new world.  This walk will look at the world that resulted.  We’ll track the historic progression from mansions to commercial real estate, consider the terms we use for judging a successful downtown, and examine why K Street’s architecture may be best accessed as an ensemble, rather than as individual structures.

Led by Carolyn with special guest Dan Emberley, tour guide and urbanite

JUNE 11

Le Droit Park and Bloomingdale

MEET OUTSIDE SHAW-HOWARD UNIVERSITY METRO STATION’S S Street (north) exit

A walk through parts of two lovely yet very different 19th-century neighborhoods:   Le Droit Park was developed in 1873 as an early, all-white suburb located outside the original boundaries of Washington City. Leading African American families began moving here in the 1890s. By the early 20th century it was a haven for Howard University scholars, literary figures such as Paul Laurence Dunbar, and civil rights leaders such as Mary Church Terrell. Many of the original picturesque cottages and grand houses still exist on its narrow village-like streets.  Adjacent Bloomingdale was a more middle-class place, its streets lined with brick row houses, corner stores, and churches.  Sites include the homes of former D.C. Mayor Walter Washington, Paul Lawrence Dunbar (or at least where it was), and Samuel Gompers, along with a miniature traffic circle, "sanitary houses," and a cluster of old schools.

Led by Hayden

JUNE 18

Georgetown Waterfront

MEET IN THE LITTLE PARK LOCATED AT 28th STREET AND PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW—NEXT TO THE GAS STATION

Georgetown was originally a bustling tobacco port, a gritty place with wharves and rowdy taverns.  After the Potomac River silted up, however, the tobacco trade dwindled and Georgetown’s economy required a new engine to drive it.  This came in the forms of mills constructed along the waterfront.  You’ll see what has become of them on this walk.  First, though, stroll past the little houses resided in by the waterfront inhabitants.  Lock #3 of the C & O Canal comes next, followed by a panoramic view from the edge of the Potomac River.  A tiny neighborhood once called “Brickyard Hill” now boasts a luxury hotel constructed around a former incinerator.  Alley life is revealed with a trek into Cherry Hill.  Then peek inside what was once Georgetown’s public market.  We’ll conclude with a walk through Cady’s Alley, Georgetown’s enclave for swank home design and furnishings.

Led by Carolyn with special guest Seth Wilschutzof Hartman-Cox Architects

JUNE 25

Anacostia River and Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

MEET OUTSIDE MINNESOTA AVENUE METRO STATION’s Minnesota Avenue

 This walk through far northeast D.C. travels through the quiet, settled 1950s neighborhood Eastland Gardens and past historic 1930s apartment buildings, following the eastern bank of the Anacostia River.  A highlight is the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, the only U.S. National Park devoted to aquatic plants.  Founded in the late 19th century as a hobby for a government worker, the gardens have grown to become one of the most beautiful and least known attractions in Washington, D.C. Besides seeing its famous water lilies, you’ll stroll the boardwalk over river wetlands, looking out for herons and dragon flies. 

Led by Hayden

JULY 2

Abraham Lincoln’s Washington

MEET OUTSIDE McPHERSON SQUARE METRO STATION’s White House exit

The Battle of Gettsyburg, which inspired Lincoln’s most famous speech, was fought July 1-3, 1863.

 2011 begins the four-year observance of the 150th anniversary of the U.S. Civil War.

 As a young man, Abraham Lincoln “feared of achieving nothing that would make men remember him.” A single gunshot ensured that he would never be forgotten. He served as U.S. president during the Civil War, the bloodiest conflict to have occurred on American soil. Washington, D.C. was the crucible in which Lincoln’s momentous years in office were cast. Although downtown adjacent to the White House has retained little of its Civil War-era character, if you know where to look, the events of Lincoln’s time in the city come to life, whether you are studying a 20th century office building or a Victorian row house. The busy streets filled with Washingtonians going about their business and slow-moving, congested traffic are not that different today than they would have been in the 1860s, when the president himself made his way--except that 21st century Washingtonians benefit from sidewalks to upon which to tread and paved thoroughfares on which to drive. In Lincoln’s day it would have been a muddy slog. However you make your way, the climax of the Lincoln’s Washington story was tragic: he was the first American leader to be assassinated. 

Led by David

Georgetown’s East Village

MEET IN THE EAST GARDEN OF DUMBARTON HOUSE AT CORNER OF 27TH & Q STREETS, NW

(NEAREST METRO:  DUPONT CIRCLE NORTH; WALK STRAIGHT WEST ON Q STREET FOR 4 BLOCKS OVER DUMBARTON BRIDGE)

 This walk is $20 and includes a guided tour of historic Dumbarton House.

Compare and contrast the large Federal-era estates and mansions of the enclave once known as “Georgetown Heights” with tiny houses formerly inhabited by the slaves and servants of Herring Hill, once a thriving African-American community.  We’ll also see the historic cemeteries where these servants (the Mount Zion Cemetery) and their masters (Oak Hill Cemetery) were buried.  Nearby is the home of Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham as well as a house recently belonging to Senator Ted Kennedy.  First Lady Dolley Madison fled to “Bellevue”, now known as Dumbarton House, in August 1814 when her own domicle, the White House, was about to be burned by the invading British army. Here’s an opportunity to visit Dumbarton House under less stressful circumstances:  the walk concludes with a docent-led tour of the house museum, which has been meticulously restored to its 1804 condition. 

Led by Dwane

JULY 9

A Taste of D.C.

MEET OUTSIDE ARCHIVES-NAVY MEMORIAL-PENN QUARTER METRO STATION

 This walk lasts three hours and is $20 per person. Cost of snacks not included in the walk fee.

 The annual Fancy Food Show arrives in D.C. July 10.  If you can’t make to the exhibit hall at the convention center, come along on this three-hour nibble-and-nosh fest to DC phenomena that celebrates the locally grown and locally invented. We’ll stay on the move, serving up some of our favorite tales of gastronomic history along the way -- from the inaugural party turned food fight to Mrs. Terrell’s quiet milestone in civil rights. Our territory first covers the heart of downtown, where nary a suit in the lunch-hour crowd realizes he’s swarming in Washington’s former market neighborhood. These days think bubble tea, ginger scones and artisan cheese only a stone’s throw away.  Bring along a subway fare card, as we’ll next be hopping the Metro to catch one of DC’s most famous drop-in eateries.  We’ll introduce you to an edible creation known as a half-smoke, show you were to eat injera, and then stop in for a dessert course at the bakery/café founded by one of DC’s Food Network celebrities.

 Led by Amy

 JULY 16

Brookland

MEET OUTSIDE BROOKLAND/CUA METRO STATION’s 10th Street exit

Brookland was originally the farm of Col. Jehial Brooks. After his death, the area developed as an early suburb northeast of downtown Washington.  The neighborhood is often referred to as “Little Rome” because of the extraordinary number of Catholic institutions (large and small) that have located there.  A walk through this quiet neighborhood reveals a surprising number of unique, beautiful buildings: the Jesuit and Augustinian colleges, the Franciscan Monastery gardens, the spectacular art deco Franciscan College, St. Joseph’s Seminary, and the hidden Varnum Campus complex.  You’ll see some of the local neighborhood joints, too!

Led by Hayden

 JULY 23

Mount  Pleasant

MEET IN FRONT OF CAPITAL CITY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL (3047 15TH STREET, NW) 

Highlights “Village in a City" Mount Pleasant Heritage Trail

With its main street, town square, and distinct boundaries, Mount Pleasant still feels like the village it once was. As the city grew around it after the Civil War, Mount Pleasant evolved into a fashionable streetcar suburb, sprouting businesses, churches, and elegant apartment buildings. Later it became a working-class urban neighborhood, a haven for immigrants fleeing political turmoil, and the heart of DC’s Latino community.  If you’re in luck, the walk route will coincide with a peak at the weekly Mount Pleasant farmer’s market.

Led by Amy

JULY 30

Abraham Lincoln’s Washington

MEET OUTSIDE McPHERSON SQUARE METRO STATION’s White House exit

 2011 begins the four-year observance of the 150th anniversary of the U.S. Civil War.

 As a young man, Abraham Lincoln “feared of achieving nothing that would make men remember him.” A single gunshot ensured that he would never be forgotten. He served as U.S. president during the Civil War, the bloodiest conflict to have occurred on American soil. Washington, D.C. was the crucible in which Lincoln’s momentous years in office were cast. Although downtown adjacent to the White House has retained little of its Civil War-era character, if you know where to look, the events of Lincoln’s time in the city come to life, whether you are studying a 20th century office building or a Victorian row house. The busy streets filled with Washingtonians going about their business and slow-moving, congested traffic are not that different today than they would have been in the 1860s, when the president himself made his way--except that 21st century Washingtonians benefit from sidewalks to upon which to tread and paved thoroughfares on which to drive. In Lincoln’s day it would have been a muddy slog. However you make your way, the climax of the Lincoln’s Washington story was tragic: he was the first American leader to be assassinated. 

Led by David

AUGUST 6

Petworth and Rock Creek Cemetery

MEET OUTSIDE GEORGIA AVENUE-PETWORTH METRO STATION’s Northbound exit

 Petworth is a complete 1910s row house subdivision with the occasional Victorian oddity.  It also features a pair of completely residential traffic circles, Sherman and Grant Circles, a rarity in Washington, D.C.  This walk will take you to the oldest church in city, St. Paul's Rock Creek Parish and its 18th century cemetery (home to the mysterious Adams Memorial designed by August Saint Gaudens).  The walk back to the Metro station will include a look through the gate of the Armed Forces Retirement Home and the Lincoln Cottage, former summer home to America’s 16th president.

Led by Hayden

 AUGUST 13

National Mall Memorials:  an Architect’s Perspective

MEET AT THE BACK OF THE OLD LOCKKEEPER’S HOUSE LOCATED AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF 17^TH STREET AND CONSTITUTION AVENUE, NW.

A professional architect teams up with a veteran Washington Walks guide to present a fresh take on the classic tour of a selection of the capital city’s famous memorials. You’ll hear how controversy has always accompanied memorial-building in our democracy, and you’ll see how the collective decision-making of multiple review committees has shaped what ultimately is built.  The Washington Monument set the precedent, perhaps, for national landmarks becoming entangled in controversy.  The proposed site for the National World War II Memorial was greeted with strenuous objection.  Veterans who had survived the Korean War grappled with how their service could be honored as powerfully as the Vietnam War vets who had succeeded in erecting a memorial--but only after a wrenching process.  Even revered Abraham Lincoln did not come by his stately seat at the Mall’s terminus easily.  This walk will visit all these sites and relay the dramatic, fraught backstory of each along with design critiques and assessments.   

Led by Mary Annewith special guest Seth Wilschutz of Hartman-Cox Architects

AUGUST 20

Historic Tenleytown

MEET OUTSIDE TENLEYTOWN/AU METRO STATION’s Wisconsin Avenue west side exit

 Highlights “Top of the Town” Tenleytown Heritage Trail

Tenleytown started as a little village and we’ll look for vestiges of all its various phases: a house from about 1800 and another from 1850, a pre-Civil War cemetery, a Victorian-era bungalow development, and the old city orphanage—not to mention some really interesting modern stuff.  We'll also look up at the only radio tower in the trans-American network of the 1930s designed by a licensed architect.

Led by Hayden

 AUGUST 27

Columbia Heights

MEET OUTSIDE COLUMBIA HEIGHTS METRO STATION’s north exit by the Columbia Heights Heritage Trail sign

 Highlights “Cultural Convergence” Columbia Heights Heritage Trail

 The 14th Street corridor between Irving Street and Park Road was one of Washington’s most important shopping and entertainment destinations outside downtown. That is until April 4, 1968, when riots following the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. sparked extensive looting and burning of commercial property. For decades afterwards, boarded-up businesses and empty lots marred the formerly vibrant Columbia Heights.  Nearly 40 years later, change has swept the area once more: the opening of the Columbia Heights Metrorail station in 1999 spurred construction of apartment buildings, row houses, and the massive shopping complex D.C. USA. 

Led by Brian

SEPTEMBER 3

Capitol Hill and Eastern Market

MEET OUTSIDE EASTERN MARKET METRO STATION

 Highlights “Tour of Duty:  Barracks Row Heritage Trail”

Although the outside world may associate the term Capitol Hill solely with the U.S. Congress, those who make Washington their home conjure up a very different image:  a vibrant neighborhood spread across one of the largest historic districts in the country filled with quaint row houses, leafy parks, shops and cafes, churches and schools.  A stroll through residential Capitol Hill is akin to visiting a small town.  Pride of place is evident in the careful restoration and loving upkeep bestowed upon the 19th century homes, their postage stamp-sized gardens adorned with flower beds and shrubs.  Although many of the stately row houses seen on this walk were not built until after the U.S. Civil War, Capitol Hill is nonetheless one of Washington’s oldest neighborhoods, first developed during the late 1790s just as the federal government prepared to locate here permanently.  This exploration includes the remains of a 1795 estate, a watering hole famous for its jazz singers, an alley that once teemed with 100 residents and a park teeming with young children and dog lovers.  We’ll finish at beloved Eastern Market, considered by many to be the heart and soul of “The Hill.” (Sponsored by Washington Walks and Cultural Tourism DC)

Led by Terry

Mount  Pleasant Walk and Wag: Bring the Dog!

MEET IN FRONT OF CAPITAL CITY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL (3047 15TH STREET, NW) 

 Highlights “Village in a City" Mount Pleasant Heritage Trail

Reservations required.  Limited to 20 canine participants. (Our guide Amy has agreed to lead a second walk on Sunday, September 4 if necessary to accommodate more four-legged guests and their humans.)

Here’s a chance to bring Fifi or Fido along to explore a community that could easily support its own Twilight Bark.  With its main street, town square, and distinct boundaries, Mount Pleasant still feels like the village it once was. As the city grew around it after the Civil War, Mount Pleasant evolved into a fashionable streetcar suburb, sprouting businesses, churches, and elegant apartment buildings. Later it became a working-class urban neighborhood, a haven for immigrants fleeing political turmoil, and the heart of DC’s Latino community.  If you’re in luck, the walk route will coincide with a peak at the weekly Mount Pleasant farmer’s market.

Led by Amy, Mount Pleasant resident and owner of Wiley

SEPTEMBER 10

Preservation in Penn Quarter

MEET OUTSIDE ARCHIVES-NAVY MEMORIAL-PENN QUARTER METRO STATION

A walk through Penn Quarter affords an opportunity to discuss preservation and renovation in one of D.C.’s most historic and happening neighborhoods.  For years both citizens and developers steered clear of what had once been the key commercial and retail destination in the capital city.  That trend began to change with the creation of the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation, which influenced redevelopment of what was then known as "the East End."  This walk will look at the different ways architect renovated, preserved, and "infilled" the 19th-century built environment that comprises Penn Quarter.  Specifically, you will learn how Hartman-Cox Architects approached its work at two landmark Penn Quarter buildings:  the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery and the National Archives.  These projects will be compared with other notable redevelopment icons, the International Spy Museum and Market Square.  The walk will include an interior tour of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery.

Led by Carolyn with special guest Seth Wilschutz of Hartman-Cox Architects

SEPTEMBER 17

Gallaudet University and Union Market

MEET OUTSIDE NEW YORK AVENUE METRO STATION’S M Street exit

 Gallaudet University is the only institution of higher learning in the world devoted to education of the deaf.  Its campus was laid out by the great 19th century landscaper Frederick Law Olmstead and holds some of the most spectacular Victorian buildings left in the city, including the administration building and the President's house.  You’ll also see the wonderful, funky Union Farmers’ Market where one can purchase tongue and other goodies.

Led by Hayden

SEPTEMBER 24

Please join us for Walkingtown D.C., a weekend of free public walking tours presented by Cultural Tourism DC.

OCTOBER 1

Please join us for Walkingtown D.C., a weekend of free public walking tours presented by Cultural Tourism DC.

OCTOBER 8

Yom Kippur (no walks)

OCTOBER 15

L’Enfant  Plaza:  Now What?

MEET OUTSIDE L'ENFANT PLAZA METRO STATION'S MARYLAND AVENUE, SW EXIT (corner of Maryland Avenue and 7th Street, SW)

 Believe it or not, L’Enfant Plaza is going to be one of the Next Big Things.  But can it overcome its urban renewal-pedestrian-unfriendly design?  What can we admire about this bewildering mass of ramps, pocket parks, open spaces, and mid-century architecture?

Led by Carolyn with special guest Dan Emberley, tour guide and urbanite

OCTOBER 22

Chloethiel Woodard Smith’s Southwest

MEET OUTSIDE WATERFRONT METRO STATION

 Highlights “River Farms to Urban Towers” Heritage Trail

A look at how a remarkable architect used the vocabulary of modernism to design enduring residential buildings in Southwest Washington, D.C.  Urban renewal forced stark elimination of the 19th-century Southwest built environment, yet Woodard Smith’s architecture exemplifies why planners placed great hope in redevelopment.

Led by Carolyn with special guest Seth Wilschutz of Hartman-Cox Architects

OCTOBER 29

Southwest Waterfront:  From Watermen to Wreckers to “The Wharf”

MEET OUTSIDE WATERFRONT METRO STATION

 Highlights “River Farms to Urban Towers” Heritage Trail

In less than 200 years Washington’s Southwest waterfront has morphed from a small collection of late 18th-century brick buildings along the Potomac River to a large group of mid 1960s structures of steel and concrete.  In between, the riverside has been the site of a conflagration during the War of 1812, the largest escape attempt by slaves in U.S. history, the execution of the “Lincoln Conspirators,” a clinic providing medical treatment to both black and white neighbors, fish and produce sellers, and even bodies on ice in the District of Columbia Morgue.  Next year, another chapter in the waterfront’s identity is poised to be written when the development team Hoffman-Madison Marquette begins to construct that which has eluded its predecessors:  a lively and vibrant destination for locals and visitors alike.

Led by Carolyn with special guest Kael Anderson, President, Southwest Neighborhood Assembly

Get Local Bonus Weekend

NOVEMBER 5

Marching Along with John Philips Sousa

MEET OUTSIDE EASTERN MARKET METRO STATION

 Happy Birthday to Washington’s “March King”:  John Philips Sousa was born November 6, 1854.

If you can hum the theme song to the iconic television show Monty Python’s Flying Circus, you already know something about John Philip Sousa.  Fall in step with Washington Walks guide Dwane Starlin, in uniform as D.C. native son, John Philip Sousa.  Born to immigrant parents from Portugal and Bavaria, Sousa grew up beneath the shadow of the U.S. Capitol dome.  At the age thirteen he attempted to run away with the circus, but (fortuitously) was persuaded to join the U.S. Marine Band as an apprentice musician.  Eventually he became its conductor, taking the band to the highest musical and performing standards ever attained by an American military band and serving under five U.S. Presidents.  Sousa enjoyed an equally successful career after leaving the Marine Band, touring the world with his own band. (The group logged over a million travel miles!)  A legendary composer, he wrote over 135 marches, "Stars and Stripes Forever" and "The Washington Post March" being two of the most famous. 

NOVEMBER 6

Penn Quarter

MEET OUTSIDE ARCHIVES-NAVY MEMORIAL STATION

This walk is $20 and includes a guided tour of the historic Adas Israel Synagogue.

”Penn Quarter” describes downtown's Seventh Street corridor, where the 19th-century meets the 21st. Hip hotels, restaurants and loft apartments continue to sprout up amidst attractions like the International Spy Museum, National Portrait Gallery, Shakespeare Theatre and National Building Museum. That most of these are housed in buildings constructed during the 1800s is what makes this walk an irresistible urban scavenger hunt to discover a bygone era--a time when Chinese, German and Italian immigrants lived and worked on and around Seventh Street. If you know where to look,  you can find the old U.S. Patent Office where newcomer Emile Berliner filed applications for the first microphone and disk record ever invented, where Italian stone carvers once worshipped (and where their descendants still enjoy espresso after Sunday Mass), the ornate archway welcoming you to D.C.’s Chinatown, and the humble wooden synagogue that took an historic ride to avoid the wrecking ball.

Led by Carolyn