Capitol Hill Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Significant dates

Capitol Hill Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district

G Street SE
Map of Washington, D.C., with the Capitol Hill Historic District highlighted in maroon
Location	Roughly bounded by Virginia Ave., SE., S. Capitol St., G St. NE., and 14th Sts. SE & NE; and roughly bounded by 8th St. NE, I-295, M St. SE and 11th St. SE Washington, D.C.
NRHP reference No.	76002127 (original) 03000585 (increase)
Added to NRHP	August 27, 1976
Boundary increase	July 3, 2003

Capitol Hill is a very old and large neighborhood in Washington, D.C.. It's located just east of the United States Capitol building. This area is one of the oldest places where people have lived in Washington D.C.

About 35,000 people live in this two-square-mile area. This makes it one of the most crowded neighborhoods. Sometimes, when people say "Capitol Hill," they are actually talking about the United States Congress, not just the neighborhood.

Capitol Hill is also a real hill. It rises in the middle of Washington D.C. and stretches eastward. In 1791, Pierre Charles L'Enfant was planning the new Federal City. He decided to put the "Congress House" (which is now the Capitol) on top of this hill. He thought it was the perfect spot for such an important building.

A big part of the neighborhood is now known as the Capitol Hill Historic District. This means it's a special area with old buildings that are protected. The name Capitol Hill often refers to both this historic district and the larger area around it.

History of Capitol Hill
What Capitol Hill Looks Like
Images for kids
See also

History of Capitol Hill

When Pierre L'Enfant first planned the city, he called the hill "Jenkins Hill." But the land had belonged to the Carroll family for many years. They called it "New Troy." Some people thought a man named Jenkins used to let his animals graze there. However, an artist named John Trumbull said in 1791 that the spot was covered with thick woods. This would make it hard for animals to graze. So, no one really knows who Jenkins was or why his name was linked to the hill.

The United States Capitol building

The Capitol Hill neighborhood began to grow when the government started building in two main spots. These were the Capitol building and the Washington Navy Yard. Between 1799 and 1810, it became a clear community. This was because the federal government became a big employer.

At first, many members of Congress lived in boarding houses here. These were like shared homes. They preferred to live close enough to walk to the Capitol.

In 1799, the Washington Navy Yard was built by the Anacostia River. It gave jobs to people who built and fixed ships. Many of these workers, and those building the Capitol, chose to live nearby. They settled east of the Capitol and north of the Navy Yard. These people were the first residents of the neighborhood.

In 1806, President Thomas Jefferson chose the spot for the Marine Barracks. It had to be close enough to march to both the Capitol and the White House. By 1810, the area had shops, blacksmiths, and churches.

The American Civil War (1861-1865) led to more building in Capitol Hill. New hospitals were built. More houses continued to be built in the 1870s and 1880s.

In the 1890s, new things like electricity, piped water, and indoor plumbing came to Washington D.C. Capitol Hill was one of the first neighborhoods to get these modern comforts. This led to a building boom between 1890 and 1910.

In 1976, the Capitol Hill Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list protects important historical places. It is one of the largest historic districts in the United States. Most of the buildings in the district are from the late 1800s.

Capitol Hill has mostly been a stable neighborhood for middle-class families. It went through a tough time in the mid-1900s with some economic decline. But it has slowly gotten better. More recently, the neighborhood has seen a lot of new growth and changes.

What Capitol Hill Looks Like

Capitol Hill has many important buildings. These include the United States Capitol, the Senate and House office buildings, and the Supreme Court building. You can also find the Library of Congress, the Marine Barracks, the Washington Navy Yard, and Congressional Cemetery here.

However, Capitol Hill is mostly a neighborhood where people live. It has many rowhouses. These are houses built side-by-side in a row. You can see many different styles of homes here. There are old manor houses from the early 1800s. There are also Federal style townhouses and small wooden homes. You can also find fancy Italianate houses and late 1800s brick rowhouses. These often have fun decorations.

The main shopping street in Capitol Hill is Pennsylvania Avenue. It has many shops, restaurants, and bars. Eastern Market is a public market built in 1873. It's on 7th Street SE. Here, sellers offer fresh meat and produce inside. There are also outdoor farmers' stands. On weekends, it hosts an outdoor flea market. The main market building had a big fire in 2007. It was rebuilt and reopened in 2009.

The Hiram W. Johnson House, a National Historic Landmark located on Capitol Hill

Barracks Row (8th Street SE) is another old shopping area. It's called that because it's close to the U.S. Marine Barracks. This street dates back to the late 1700s. It has recently been updated and is a lively place.

The Old Naval Hospital has been turned into the Hill Center. This is a new community center. It's located at the corner of 9th and Pennsylvania Avenue SE. The Hill Center is a modern building that also keeps its historical look. It's a busy place for cultural, educational, and community events in Capitol Hill.

Many members of Congress live in Capitol Hill when they are in Washington. Famous people born in Capitol Hill include John Philip Sousa. His birthplace on G Street is still there. J. Edgar Hoover was also born here. Frederick Douglass's old house is on A Street Northeast.

Capitol Hill has its own local newspapers, like the Hill Rag.