Capitol Hill

Capitol Hill is a neighborhood in Washington, D.C., located in both the Northeast and Southeast parts of the city. It is bounded by 15th Street SE & NE, F Street NE, Southeast Boulevard SE, and South Capitol Street SE. The area is dominated by the United States Capitol, which sits on the highest point and is one of the oldest historic districts in Washington.

The neighborhood has many rowhouses, mostly from the 1800s. About 35,000 people live in just under 2 square miles (5 km²), making it one of the most crowded areas in Washington. The name Capitol Hill is often used to represent the U.S. Congress.

Capitol Hill is well known as a center for the United States government. Important places there include the U.S. Congress, the Supreme Court, and the Library of Congress. Besides government buildings, the neighborhood is mostly home to families, with busy shopping areas along Pennsylvania Avenue, such as Eastern Market and Barracks Row.

History

18th century

Pierre Charles L'Enfant chose the spot for the United States Capitol in 1791 when he designed the city. He called the hill where the Capitol would stand "Jenkins Hill." The land had belonged to the Carroll family and was called "Rome" in their records. Even though a man named Thomas Jenkins once had animals there, it was really a thick forest.

Thomas Jefferson, who became President of the United States later, named the area Capitol Hill after a famous hill in Rome. The neighborhood began to grow when the government started building the Capitol and the Washington Navy Yard. People who worked there lived close by, creating the first community.

19th century

In 1801, President of the United States Thomas Jefferson picked a spot for the Marine Barracks near the Navy Yard. By 1810, shops, craftsmen, and churches were thriving there.

The Civil War brought more building, including hospitals. New homes kept being built in the 1870s and 1880s. The area started to change with different groups living there. In the 1890s, electricity, clean water, and indoor plumbing came to Capitol Hill, spurring growth from 1890 to 1910.

20th century

In 1976, Capitol Hill was added to the National Register of Historic Places, making it one of the largest historic areas in the country. Most buildings there are from the late Victorian style.

Capitol Hill stayed a middle-class area for a long time. It faced tough times with rising crime in the middle of the last century but slowly improved. In the 1990s, many new, wealthier people moved in, changing the neighborhood.

Landmarks

Capitol Hill is home to many important places, including the United States Capitol, the Senate and House office buildings, the Supreme Court building, the Library of Congress, the Marine Barracks, the Washington Navy Yard, and Congressional Cemetery. These places are all part of the Capitol Complex.

The Folger Shakespeare Library is also in Capitol Hill. It is a special library and museum with the world's largest collection of works by the famous writer William Shakespeare. Capitol Hill is mainly a place where people live, with many rowhouses from different times, including the 1800s.

The main shopping area is Pennsylvania Avenue, with shops, restaurants, and bars. Eastern Market is a public market from 1873 where people can buy fresh food. After a big fire in 2007, it was fixed up and opened again in 2009. Nearby, Barracks Row is one of the city's oldest shopping areas, with many restaurants and shops.

Parks

Capitol Hill has many parks. Lincoln Park is east of the U.S. Capitol and has special statues. Stanton Park is named after Edwin Stanton, who helped during the American Civil War. Other parks include Spirit of Justice Park, Folger Park, Seward Square, Marion Park, and Garfield Park.

Education

Capitol Hill is served by the District of Columbia Public Schools. Some of the schools here include Brent Elementary School, Maury Elementary School, Payne Elementary School, Shirley Chisholm Elementary School, and Elliot-Hine Middle School.

There is also a school called the Capitol Hill Cluster School, which has three campuses: Peabody Elementary School for PK3-Kindergarten, Watkins Elementary School for 1st-5th Grades, and Stuart-Hobson Middle School for 6th-8th Grades. The area also has independent schools like St. Peters Catholic School and Capitol Hill Day School.

Notable residents

Capitol Hill has been home to many important people throughout history. Some of these include John S. Barbour Jr., a U.S. senator, and Frederick Douglass, a famous social reformer who fought to end slavery. Others include Ana Gasteyer, a well-known actress and comedian, and Bernie Sanders, a current U.S. senator.