This year’s Cherry Blossom Festival begins Sunday, March 20 and runs through April 17. The Cherry Blossom Festival Parade will be help on April 16, from 10AM – Noon. More information…
Category: DC History
Octagon House
The Octagon house is one of the oldest houses in downtown Washington, D.C. The often and easily overlooked house is a beautifully maintained example of an 18th Century house. The Octagon House, at 1799 New York Avenue NW, is actually 6-sided and was designed by William Thornton who also designed the Capital Building, and built…
200th Anniversary of the Battle of Ft. McHenry
After burning the Nation’s capital, the British head north to Baltimore and stay there from Sept 11-17, 1814. From Sept 13-14, 1814, Fort McHenry was under attack. It was during that time that F.S. Key wrote the Star Spanglaed Banner. There are many activities taking place this year throughout Maryland in remembrance of this (second)…
Washington Monument Opening Stairs for Walkdown Tours this Fall
The Washington Monument reopened in May 2014 after a 33-month long renovation following the August 2011 earthquake that damaged the memorial. Now, the NPS is also going to open the stairs! The NPS announced that starting this month, September, tickets will be available for purchase through Recreation.gov for $15 ($12 with a $3 handling fee)…
Today is the Anniversary of the creation of the District of Columbia
On July 9, 1790, Congress passed the Residence Act, which approved the creation of a national capital on the Potomac River. The exact location was to be selected by President George Washington, who signed the bill into law on July 16. Formed from land donated by the states of Maryland and Virginia, the initial shape…
Geo Washington Statue at the National Cathedral
Statue: George Washington Equestrian Statue Location: At the entrance to the Olmsted Woods Walk; at the bottom of the Pilgrim Steps Sculptor: Herbert HaseltineUnveiling: February 22, 1959 Cost: Gift. Donated by James Sheldon On the anniversary of his birthday, George Washington was honored at the National Cathedral with the dedication of an equestrian statue. The…
Free Walking Tour, January 20
Mark this historic inauguration week by joining us for a free, 90-minute walking tour, “From Slavery to Freedom in Adams Morgan,” on Sunday, January 20th at 1:00pm. starting at the Sun Trust Bank Plaza at 18th Street and Columbia Road, N.W., Washington, D.C. Our starting point at 18th Street and Columbia Road is about an…
Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital
Located at 9th and Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, the building now known as the Hill Center was built in 1866 as a Naval Hospital. The Navy used it during the Civil War and up until 1906 when the Naval Hospital was moved to Observatory Hill at 23rd and E Streets, NW (in Foggy Bottom). The large…