A Day Around Eastern Market
Morning
Before a day of shopping, begin with a bit of history at the
Library of Congress
, a handsome example of the Italian Renaissance style, with unsurpassed interiors. The first tour is at 10:30am.
Turn right to East Capitol Street, right again, and continue one block to the
Folger Shakespeare Library and Theater
. The Elizabethan theater is enchanting, and the material displayed is both rare and fascinating.
Walk east to 7th Street and turn right. A little over two blocks farther on is
Eastern Market
. On weekends it is surrounded by arts and crafts vendors and flower stalls.
The Market Lunch
inside is a great choice for lunch.
Afternoon
If you visit the
market on a Saturday, spend the afternoon at the Capitol Hill Flea
Market, across the street from Eastern Market. It features 100 or more
vendors selling antiques, Oriental rugs, fabrics, fine art photographs,
jewelry, and other items. If the flea market is closed, walk a block
south of Eastern Market and visit Woven History and Silk Road (
311–5 7th St, SE
202 543 1705
Open 10am–6pm daily
) for its fabrics, rugs, and crafts from Asia and South America.
To return home, turn right and the Eastern Market metro stop is straight ahead of you.
Best of the Rest
Eastern Market
Weekends are the time to visit to take in the crafts and farm produce stalls .
Ebenezer United Methodist Church
The
first congregation of African-American Methodists and Episcopals in
Washington. It also became home to the first public school for black
children after the Emancipation Proclamation.
420 D St, SE
Open 10am– 2pm Mon–Fri
Free
Ebenezer United Methodist Church
Ulysses S. Grant Memorial
This
equestrian grouping honors the Union victory in the Civil War. Sculptor
Henry Shrady (1871–1922) took 20 years to complete the work .
Ulysses S. Grant Memorial
Emancipation Monument
Lincoln holds the Emancipation Proclamation while the last slave, Archer Alexander, breaks his chains .
Lincoln Park
Statue of Mary McLeod Bethune
This
modern sculpture of the great African-American educator and activist
symbolizes knowledge handed down through generations .
Lincoln Park
Frederick Douglass Museum
The
home of the African-American activist contains many of his possessions,
including a document proclaiming him a “freed man” .
Christ Church
This elegant church, built in 1805, had many prominent parishioners, including presidents Madison and Monroe.
National Guard Memorial Museum
This gallery remembers citizens who gave their lives to protect the nation.
1 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Open 9am–4pm Mon–Fri
Dis. access
Voice of America
Most of VOA’s programming, broadcasting US news around the world, is created at these studios.
Alleys and Carriageways
The
alleys of Capitol Hill, notorious in the 19th century for their squalid
and cramped residences, have today been turned into charming little
homes.
