History
Washington, D.C. history and landmarks
Washington, D.C. history and landmarks: start with Library of Congress, Lincoln Memorial, and National Gallery of Art. Use the 158 places below to build a plan around this theme; each place has source-backed details behind its description.
158 places
Places to start with
Source-backed place · Religious sites
Luther Place Memorial Church
A neo-Gothic sanctuary at Thomas Circle, constructed in 1873 as a memorial to peace and reconciliation following the American Civ…
Source-backed place · History
Mary Ann Shadd Cary House
The former home of Mary Ann Shadd Cary, a pioneering Black newspaperwoman and lawyer, stands as a brick rowhouse in the historic…
Source-backed place · Religious sites
National City Christian Church
The national cathedral of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), this 1930s historic landmark on Thomas Circle is known for…
Bookable Fever
Source-backed place · History
Old City Hall
A National Historic Landmark at Judiciary Square, this imposing stone structure evolved from a 1849 brick city hall into the curr…
Source-backed place · History
Patterson Mansion
A stunning Neoclassical landmark at 15 Dupont Circle NW, this former socialite's estate now serves as a premier event venue and s…
Source-backed place · History
Richard H. Townsend House
A Beaux Arts masterpiece on Massachusetts Avenue, this former Gilded Age mansion served as a brief residence for Franklin D. Roos…
Source-backed place · Landmarks
Spanish Steps
A whimsical, multi-tiered stone staircase in Kalorama, inspired by Rome's famous steps, providing a romantic urban oasis among em…
Source-backed place · History
Tingey House
The official residence of the Chief of Naval Operations, this 1804 landmark is one of the few structures to survive the British i…
Source-backed place · History
Volta Laboratory and Bureau
A National Historic Landmark in Georgetown, this neoclassical building served as Alexander Graham Bell's research center for tele…
Source-backed place · History
Warder Mansion
A Romanesque Revival masterpiece by H. H. Richardson, this 1886 mansion is the only surviving building by the famed architect in…
Source-backed place · Landmarks
Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Neighborhood Library
A modern, light-filled civic hub in the Shaw neighborhood, this LEED Silver certified library blends sustainable architecture wit…
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Source-backed place · History
Whitelaw Hotel
A landmark of Black entrepreneurship, the Whitelaw was Washington's first luxury hotel and apartment building financed, built, an…
Source-backed place · History
Whittemore House
A landmark 19th-century mansion in Dupont Circle, serving as a historic house museum and the headquarters of the Woman's National…
Source-backed place · History
Woodley Mansion
A stately Federal-style hilltop mansion built in 1801, now serving as the heart of the Maret School campus in the historic Woodle…
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