| Capitol Hill, Washington, Dc |
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Information AboutCapitol Hill, Washington, Dc |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT CAPITOL HILL, WASHINGTON, D.C. | |
| registered historic places in the district of columbia | |
| neighborhoods in washington, d.c. | |
| historic districts in the united states | |
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The Hill itself rises in the center of DC and extends eastward. The hill, which in 1790 was called Jenkins Hill or '''Jenkins Heights''', was the site chosen by Pierre L'Enfant for the placement of the "Congress House," a site which L'Enfant characterized as a "pedestal waiting for a superstructure." In accordance with this plan, the Capitol was situated upon the crest of the hill facing the city. The neighborhood is unique in that it straddles two quadrants, Southeast and Northeast . Its boundaries are South Capitol Street and 2nd Street NE to the west, F Street NE to the north, 15th Street to the east, and Virginia Avenue and the Southeast/Southwest Freeway to the south. HISTORY The neighborhood that is now called Capitol Hill began when the government began work at two locations, the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Navy Yard , and came to be a distinct community between 1799 and 1810 as the federal government became a major employer. The first stage in its early history was that a Boarding House community developed for members of Congress. In the early years of the Republic, few Congressmen wished to establish permanent residence in the city. Instead, most preferred to live in boarding houses within walking distance of the Capitol. In 1799 the Washington Navy Yard was established on the banks of the Anacostia River , and provided jobs to craftsmen who built and repaired ships. Many of the craftsmen who were employed both at the Navy Yard and in the construction of the Capitol chose to live within walking distance, to the east of the Capitol and the north of the Navy Yard, and became the original residential population of the neighborhood. In 1806 President Thomas Jefferson selected the location of the Marine Barracks, which had to be within marching distance of both the Capitol and the White House, not far from the Washington Navy Yard. By 1810 shops, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, and churches were flourishing in the area. The Civil War resulted in more construction in the Capitol Hill area, including the building of hospitals. Construction of new houses continued in the 1870's and 1880's, and the neighborhood began to divide along racial and economic class lines. Electricity, piped water, and plumbing were introduced in the 1890's, and were first available in the downtown areas of the District of Columbia, including Capitol Hill. There was a real estate development boom between 1890 and 1910 as the Capitol Hill area became one of the first neighborhoods having these modern conveniences. In 1976, the Capitol Hill Historic District was placed on the National Register Of Historic Places , and is one of the largest historic districts in the United States. It includes buildings from the Federal period (1800 to 1820) through 1919, but most of the buildings are late Victorian. DESCRIPTION Almost every street of the Capitol Hill neighborhood is composed of , Queen Anne , and Eastlakian motifs. Recent estimates in Capitol Hill newspapers suggest as many as a third of all Members of Congress live on Capitol Hill while in Washington. Capitol Hill has spawned local community Newspaper s, such as the '' Hill Rag '' and the ''Voice of the Hill''. The two main non-residential areas of Capitol Hill are along Pennsylvania Avenue , which contains a lively commercial corridor with shops, restaurants and bars, and around the 1873 Eastern Market , a brick public market where vendors sell fresh meat and produce in indoor stalls and outdoor tents. Eastern Market is an anchor point for other nearby stores and restaurants, and is the site of an outdoor Flea Market every weekend. In addition to being a prestigious address, Capitol Hill is known for its historic African American population. EXTERNAL LINKS |
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