Arts & Entertainment

A walk through Hill history

55th Capitol Hill House and Garden Tour nears

Published

14 years ago

April 19, 2012

WBadmin

A house on 6th Street NE in Washington set to be on this year's Capital Hill House and Garden Tour. (Submitted photo)

By ROBERTA GUTMAN
Special to the Blade

Capitol Hill residents are surely among the most creative and aesthetically wired residents of the District. Once again the public can see just how this creativity is expressed in at least a dozen homes on this year’s Capitol Hill House and Garden Tour.

The tour is organized as a walkable triangle (no jitney service this year), all in North East, bounded by 3rd and 11th streets and Massachusetts Avenue. Here is a sampling of the wonderful homes on the tour:

At 306 East Capitol, Unit #1 in the condo building shows how a great deal of charm can fit into a small space that combines colorful as well as soothing colors, antique carpets, art and a vintage kitchen transformed with a creative paint job.

The 1870 gray clapboard house at 317 A Street NE has only 1,700 square feet of space, but what beautiful space it is, reflecting the owners’ love of Japanese art and furnishings and other objects from their postings abroad.

The glass doors at the back of 514 Constitution Ave., built in 1884, lighten this colorful house, owned by an artist and his State Department employee wife, now retired. Paintings, wall hangings and African artifacts bedeck the walls of this two-story home, which also doubles as a B&B. Steps lead down to a beautiful garden bordered at the other end by a coach house-cum-studio.

A double treat awaits visitors to 9 and 11 East 9th St., two of four contiguous homes built in 1892 with Richardsonian sandstone facades. Only 15 feet wide, both homes nonetheless feel surprisingly open and spacious. Visitors will be intrigued by the different footprints of the first floors of both homes and their long, beautiful, but very different back gardens.

Prepare to be bowled over by the space, furnishings and gorgeous colors in the four-story, exquisitely restored home at 905 Massachusetts Ave. Built in 1909, the house has a double parlor, formal dining room, a wonderful modern kitchen, huge bedrooms and study on the second and third floors and a full basement. The home’s furnishings combine modern and antique family furnishings and a superb art collection, plus a must-see wall clock.

The Italianate Renaissance Revival home at 7th and A Streets is, quite simply, exquisite both inside and out. A diminutive but sweeping staircase leads to the second floor and the master bedroom, which contains furniture once owned by Leslie “Gone with the Wind” Howard. A built-out mini balcony looks over the back patio, a “room” in itself with soothing bubbling fountains.

The large red brick condo building facing Lincoln Park on the east end contains a unit with its own entrance, at 1020 East Capitol St. You may have peered through the long windows and doors of this first-floor unit, which once housed a People’s Drugs; now’s your chance to see this beautiful, two-story unit overlooking the park from the inside. The two bedrooms in the English basement are remarkably light and spacious.

These are only half of the beautiful homes and gardens on the tour.

The event starts with a twilight tour 5-8 p.m. on May 12, and continues from 1-5 p.m. on Mother’s Day. Tickets can be purchased at the CHRS booth at Eastern Market on Saturdays and some Sundays beginning this weekend; online at chrs.org; or at businesses listed on the website. They cost $25 in advance or $30 on the tour weekend.

Related Topics:Capitol Hill House and Garden Tour

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PHOTOS: Cupid’s Undie Run

Annual fundraiser for NF research held at The Wharf DC

Published

15 hours ago

February 21, 2026

Michael Key

A dance party was held at Union Stage before Cupid's Undie Run on Saturday. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Cupid’s Undie Run, an annual fundraiser for neurofibromatosis (NF) research, was held at Union Stage and at The Wharf DC on Saturday, Feb. 21.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Out & About

Sweat DC expands to Shaw

Community workout and social planned for March 14

Published

16 hours ago

February 21, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

Sweat DC is officially expanding to Shaw, opening a new location at 1818 7th St., N.W., on Saturday, March 28 — and they’re kicking things off with a high-energy, community-first launch event.

To celebrate, Sweat DC is hosting Sweat Fest, a free community workout and social on Saturday, March 14, at 10 a.m. at the historic Howard Theatre. The event features a group fitness class, live DJ, local food and wellness partners, and a mission-driven partnership with the Open Goal Project, which works to expand access to youth soccer for players from marginalized communities.

For more details, visit Sweat DC’s website and reserve a spot on Eventbrite.

Calendar

Calendar: February 20-26

LGBTQ events in the days to come

Published

2 days ago

February 20, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

Friday, Feb. 20

Center Aging Monthly Luncheon with Yoga will be at noon at the D.C. LGBTQ+ Community Center. Email Mac at [email protected] if you require ASL interpreter assistance, have any dietary restrictions, or questions about this event.

Trans and Genderqueer Game Night will be at 7 p.m. at the D.C. Center. This will be a relaxing, laid-back evening of games and fun. All are welcome! We’ll have card and board games on hand. Feel free to bring your own games to share. For more details, visit the Center’s website.

Go Gay DC will host “First Friday LGBTQ+ Community Social” at 7 p.m. at Hotel Zena. This is a chance to relax, make new friends, and enjoy happy hour specials at this classic retro venue. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Saturday, Feb. 21

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

LGBTQ People of Color will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for LGBTQ People of Color to come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space that strives to be safe and judgement free. There are all sorts of activities like watching movies, poetry events, storytelling, and just hanging out with others. For more information and events, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.

Sunday, Feb. 22

Queer Talk DC will host “The Black Gay Flea Market” at 1 p.m. at Doubles in Petworth. There will be more than 15 Black queer vendors from all over the DMV in one spot. The event’s organizers have reserved the large back patio for all vendors, and the speak easy for bar service, which will be serving curated cocktails made just for the event (cash bar.) DJ Fay and DJ Jam 2x will be spinning the entire event. For more details, visit Eventbrite.

Monday, Feb. 23

“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam at [email protected].

Tuesday, Feb. 24

Coming Out Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a safe space to share experiences about coming out and discuss topics as it relates to doing so — by sharing struggles and victories the group allows those newly coming out and who have been out for a while to learn from others. For more details, visit the group’s Facebook.

Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary, whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100 percent cis. For more details, visit genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.

Wednesday, Feb. 25

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

Asexual and Aromantic Group will meet at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a space where people who are questioning this aspect of their identity or those who identify as asexual and/or aromantic can come together, share stories and experiences, and discuss various topics. For more details, email [email protected].

Thursday, Feb. 26

The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center. To be more fair with who is receiving boxes, the program is moving to a lottery system. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.

Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breathwork and meditation that allows LGBTQ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.