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.
Many of the stately row houses seen on this walk were not built until after the U.S. Civil War, yet 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 called The Maples
- the watering hole Mr. Henry’s, famous for its jazz singers
- an alley that once teemed with 100 residents
- Eastern Market, often considered the heart and soul of “The Hill”
The walk concludes at The walk concludes at Lincoln Park, site of a pair of outdoor sculptures that symbolize America’s Civil Rights struggle in two very different ways.
Explore more Washington, D.C. walks: Georgetown and Columbia Heights
