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. It concludes at beloved Eastern Market, considered by many to be the heart and soul of “The Hill.”
Explore more Washington, D.C. walks: Georgetown and Columbia Heights
