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National Historic Landmarks: African American History
11 Locations ~ Curated by Zachary Burt & Shae Corey, DC Preservation LeagueWomen in History DowntownDC Callbox Tour
8 Locations ~ Curated by DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID)Featured Sites
Seafarers Yacht Club
Established in 1945 by mariner Lewis Thomas Green, the Seafarers Yacht Club became one of the first community spaces for black boaters in Washington, DC. Green began building his own boats around the late 1930s to early 1940s, in addition to his…
Rock Creek Church Yard and Cemetery
With graves dating back to the early 1770s, and pre-revolution burials, the Rock Creek Church Yard is a unique landscape in the District. With a variety of headstones, inscriptions, and decorative grave markers, the cemetery tells the stories of the…
Nixon-Mounsey House
Designed by William D. Nixon, a self-taught African American architect who was also a social and civil rights activist in DC, this private residence is a notable Art Deco style building in the Palisades neighborhood. The home is significant for both…
Recent Sites
Abstract Sculptures of DC: 50/50
Nestled between the landscaping of 2027 Q Street NW sits a hidden study on geometry. Yuri Schwebler, an artist known for his temporary and permanent sculptures throughout DC, created the work outside the home in 1975. The sculpture consists of two…
Abstract Sculptures of DC: Tricorn
At the center of James Monroe Park sits a 9-foot tall triangular prism made of stainless steel mesh. During the day, it looks like a simple cage placed at the center of the water basin that surrounds it, but at night it transforms into a glowing box…
Abstract Sculptures of DC: Rockwalls
Gallaudet University’s main campus mall hosts a number of art installations, but one situated close to the center on the east side of the quad might not catch eyes at first glance. The rock walls seem to peer out of the ground and slip back…
Abstract Sculptures of DC: The Observer
Privately commissioned by Wimpey Property Holdings Inc., London, Keith McCarter’s The Observer is an early example of a private developer commissioning public art for their building. Located on the street in front of the office building at 1020 19th…
Abstract Sculptures of DC: Grove of Columns
The Metro Center subway station has quite the entrance, as Richard Hunt’s Grove of Columns adorns the front of the Williams Building located right next to it. The five columns vary in height from 9 to 20 feet tall, with each column hosting large…
Abstract Sculptures of DC: Family Circle
Created by Herbert House, Family Circle represents the artist’s view that no matter where he went, he had his family with him, walking beside him as he grew up in DC. As the name suggests, the sculpture features four human figures standing in a…
DC Historic Sites
A project by DC Preservation LeagueDC Historic Sites is based on the DC Inventory of Historic Sites, the city's official list of properties deemed worthy of recognition and protection for their contribution to the cultural heritage of the city, the nation’s capital, and the nation. DC Historic Sites was developed by the DC Preservation League, Washington's only citywide nonprofit advocate dedicated to the preservation, protection and enhancement of the historic resources of our nation's capital.
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