Stories
Washington, D.C. stories for walks, landmarks, and local context
Short, source-backed reads that explain what you are seeing while you move through the city.
City story
A Galactic Grotesque
Cathedrals are typically filled with ancient symbols of faith and divine order. But if you look up at the Northwest Tower of the Washi…
City story
A Galactic Grotesque
If you look up at the Northwest Tower of the Washington National Cathedral, you'll find a figure that doesn't quite fit the traditiona…
City story
A Galactic Grotesque
If you look up at the Northwest Tower of the National Cathedral, you'll find a very unexpected resident. Nestled among the traditional…
City story
A Galactic Grotesque
If you look up at the Northwest Tower of the Washington National Cathedral, you'll find a figure that doesn't exactly fit the traditio…
City story
A Galactic Grotesque
If you look up at the Northwest Tower of the Washington National Cathedral, you'll find a carving that doesn't exactly fit the traditi…
City story
A Galactic Grotesque
If you look closely at the Northwest Tower of the Washington National Cathedral, you'll find a figure that doesn't quite fit the tradi…
City story
A Gate That Survived the Flames
In 1814, during the British invasion of Washington, Captain Tingey was ordered to burn the Washington Navy Yard to prevent it from fal…
City story
A Gateway to Congress
Imagine a space so massive it's the largest project in the U.S. Capitol's more than two-century history. That's the Capitol Visitor Ce…
City story
A Gateway to the River
Georgetown Waterfront Park is more than just a scenic stroll; it's a carefully designed connection between the city and the Potomac. I…
City story
A Golden Contribution
When you look at the Emancipation Memorial in Lincoln Park, you're seeing more than just bronze and stone. This statue, dedicated in 1…
City story
A Greek Vision in the City
Standing before the Old Patent Office Building is like stepping into a Greek temple in the middle of Penn Quarter. Constructed between…
City story
A Grotesque Surprise
If you look up at the Northwest Tower of the Washington National Cathedral, you'll see something that doesn't quite fit the traditiona…
City story
A Haunted History
Not all memorials are built with stone and bronze; some are born from tragedy. The site of the Knickerbocker Theatre in Adams Morgan m…
City story
A High-Stakes Collapse
In the Adams Morgan neighborhood, there's a site that recalls a tragedy far removed from the glitz of the silent film era. In 1917, th…
City story
A Hilltop Legacy
High on a hill in Northwest D.C. sits the Woodley Mansion, a Federal-style home constructed in 1801. For a long time, this area was a…
City story
A Hilltop Retreat
High on a hill sits the Woodley Mansion, a Federal-style residence constructed in 1801. Back in the nineteenth century, the surroundin…
City story
A Hilltop Summer Retreat
High on a hill in Northwest D.C. sits Woodley Mansion, a Federal-style home constructed in 1801. In the 19th and early 20th centuries,…
City story
A Hill with a History
Barracks Row is one of the oldest commercial districts in Washington, and it's easy to see why. Located on Capitol Hill's 8th Street S…
City story
A Historic First
The Howard Theatre isn't just a venue; it's a piece of American history. When it opened in 1910, it became the first African American-…
City story
A House for a Former President
What happens when a president leaves the White House? For Woodrow Wilson, the answer was a home in the Kalorama neighborhood. After le…
City story
A House of Power
Completed in 1800, the Octagon House was once among the grandest townhouses in the entire nation. Built for Colonel John Tayloe the Th…
City story
A House Shaped Like a Stop Sign
When Colonel John Tayloe the Third built his townhouse in 1799, he didn't go for a standard rectangle. He built the Octagon House. As…
City story
A Legacy at Cedar Hill
Frederick Douglass escaped slavery to become one of the greatest abolitionists and statesmen in American history, and his private retr…
City story
A Legacy in Bronze
In Lincoln Park on Capitol Hill, there's a statue with a deeply personal origin story. The Emancipation Memorial, dedicated in 1876, d…