Capitol Hill, the hot spot in a Capitol City

Capitol Hill is so much more that a large group of buildings that house our government. There are neighborhoods that stretch all the way down Pennsylvania Avenue South East. When I stop to visit clients that have moved to the hill, I am always impressed by the wide variety of neighborhoods. The Hill is much more than flashy new condo's stacked one over another. Walking the streets you pass reconditioned row homes, parks and large duplexes that have well manicured front lawns. People pass, strolling with babies or walking a dog or jogging. It is a vibrant neighborhood.

There is a great deal of information about the Capitol Hill area below. I have culled on-line resources and presented an overview. It tells the clinical story of the area. There is a more intimate version that has been shared with me by those that actually call the Hill their home.

You can walk anywhere you need to go on the Hill. Those are often the first words former clients share with me when I visit. Everything is nearby. You have Metro stations within blocks of any home. The Eastern Market is a weekend delight. A short walk on any evening and you can enjoy the restaurants on Barracks Row. There are little parks with playgrounds and walk ways and benches scattered throughout the area. For those with a car, there is more parking available than in most other areas of the city.

Capitol Hill is generally a quiet urban scene. My clients have shared that while the main arteries that crisscross the Hill seem to handle a lot of traffic, for the most part the neighborhoods are just that ...neighborhoods. Folks get to know one another and block parties are usually populated with people you know.  Grabbing a cup of coffee on the way to work is often accompanied by conversation with someone from your block or someone you have met while out and about. People that live here, love it here and welcome newcomers with passion.

The architecture of homes on the Hill favors days gone by. Row homes are a bit narrow, but the craftsmanship and detail that is found inside are delightful. Trim, all but forgotten in the mass produced homes in the suburbs is pretty much standard here. These homes were not just thrown together in a frenzy. Actual carpenters crafted each one. Plaster walls and exposed brick are the norm. Over a century old and solid as a rock, that may be the baseline. Each one is finished and as unique as the homeowner's taste.  There are also lots of multi-plex row homes (a bit larger than the "shot gun, new orleans style floor plans"). Those homes feature front porches, yards front and rear and characteristics that can not be found in any home built in the last 50 years.

Visiting former clients, I enjoy their amazement regarding pocket doors and butlers pantries and mud rooms. The material used to construct these homes hark ens to a time when homes were built one by one rather than mass produced by the dozen.

My clients on the Hill all share similar stories. They came with me seeking a house and in short order after moving in they had a home. Of course, there are pluses and minuses to any area. The Hill has so much more on the plus side, it remains a target area for many moving here from out of town as well as those in the suburbs that finally decide living in the city is the best decision to make.

Homes on the Hill

The Capitol Hill Historic District takes its name from the hill, which rises in the center of the Federal City and extends eastward. This 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 US Capitol Building was situated upon the crest of the hill facing the city. Stretching easterly behind the Capitol Building along wide avenues lies the residential area known as Capitol Hill. Capitol Hill, one of the oldest residential communities in Washington, has grown from a small boarding house community for members of Congress to an area of more than 150 squares embracing a number of separate neighborhoods.

The good news for those of you that prefer to walk and don't own a car, Zip Car has a couple locations in Capitol Hill. If using a car is not your style, Capital City Bike share has several spots where you can rent a bike.  This is another of the new age neighborhoods in Washington, DC.  Looking for a Saturday afternoon adventure, visit Eastern Market and walk the path among vendors and small boutiques.

Seeking a bite to eat, there are over 20 restaurants to choose from in this area. Night life is also available with a wide range of stops, some including live music. Downtown is just a short trip on the Metro. Capitol Hill is service by both the Blue and Orange lines.

CAPITOL HILL HOME SEARCH

Capitol Hill is the largest residential historic district in the District of Columbia. Almost every street is composed of rowhouses of different stylistic varieties and periods forming a continuous wall broken only by street intersections. Side by side exist early 19th century manor houses, Federal townhouses, small frame dwellings, ornate Italianate bracketed houses and the late 19th century press brick rowhouses with their often whimsical decorative elements combining Richardsonian Romanesque, Queen Anne, and Eastlakian motifs. One of the more interesting houses is the Sewell-Belmont House, perhaps one of the oldest houses in the city and rebuilt after the War of 1812. Interspersed with the rowhouses are churches, which serve the community such as Christ Church and St. Mark's.

The Capitol Hill Historic District is bounded by Virginia Ave., SE.; S. Capitol, 2nd Street and and F Sts., NE.; and 14th Sts., SE & NE. Most of the buildings are private residences and not open to the public. Metro stops: Union Station, E. Capitol, and Eastern Market.  Capitol Hill is in Ward 6, it is covered by the First Police District, and is part of Neighborhood Advisory Council area 6.

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