President Lincoln’s Cottage is proud to be included in the latest Cultural Tourism DC Heritage Trail – Georgia Avenue/Pleasant Plains. President Lincoln regularly commuted to the White House from his Cottage at the Soldiers’ Home, using present-day Georgia Avenue. This story of his commute to and from the Cottage will be available on sign #19 of the trail. Other highlights of the trail besides President Lincoln’s commute include Howard University (the first African-American liberal arts university) , a German beer garden, author Zora Neale Hurston’s boarding house, historic Griffith Stadium, and locations that convey the stories of the grocers, barbers, poets, and bootleggers who called this neighborhood home.
Cultural Tourism DC, the Georgia Ave./ Pleasant Plains Heritage Trail Working Group, and Howard University Hospital will host the trail’s official unveiling and neighborhood celebration on Saturday, October 15 at 11 am on the front lawn of the Howard University Hospital, at 2041 Georgia Avenue, NW. Howard University Hospital will host a Health and Wellness Fair with blood pressure screenings and information about hospital services and other free screenings offered by appointment, and the opening of a Griffith Stadium Exhibit.
Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham and Dr. Clive Callender of Howard University Hospital will speak at the program along with representatives from District Department of Transportation, and the Heritage Trail Working Group. After the formal program from 12 noon to 2 pm, participants are invited to explore the trail on their own, or take a guided walk led by Working Group members. A children’s scavenger hunt and the hospital’s Health and Wellness Fair complete the activities at the launch site.
The creation of the Heritage Trail was a community endeavor. Cultural Tourism DC began working with the Working Group in 2007 to collect stories and images. Then professional historians deepened the research and shaped the finished product into 19 poster-sized signs that combine historical photographs and maps to trace the neighborhood from its start as rural farmland to the lively community it is today.
The first sign on the trail is located outside the Shaw-Howard University Metrorail station at the 7th and S street exit. The final sign is located at the Georgia Ave- Petworth Metrorail station at the Georgia Avenue, southbound exit. This 1.9-mile walk offers about two hours of gentle exercise. Participants may begin their journey at any sign.
Free summary trail guides in English and Spanish will be available at the launch as well as from merchants and institutions (including the Cottage!) along the way. After the launch, distribution points, and a downloadable version, will be listed online at www.CulturalTourismDC.org. High-resolution images and guides, including a trail map, are available on request at [email protected].
The District of Columbia Neighborhood Heritage Trails are funded by the District Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation, and Events DC. Howard University Hospital and Progression Place underwrote the Georgia Ave./Pleasant Plains Neighborhood Trail launch.
About District of Columbia Neighborhood Heritage Trails
The DC Neighborhood Heritage Trails are the Official Walking Trails of Washington, DC. The Georgia Ave./Pleasant Plains Heritage Trail is the 12th trail in the series: Civil War to Civil Rights: Downtown Heritage Trail; City Within a City: Greater U Street Heritage Trail; Tour of Duty: Barracks Row Heritage Trail; River Farms to Urban Towers: Southwest Heritage Trail; Midcity at the Crossroads: Shaw Heritage Trail; Roads to Diversity: Adams Morgan Heritage Trail; Village in the City: Mount Pleasant Heritage Trail; Battleground to Community: Brightwood Heritage Trail; A Self-Reliant People: Deanwood Heritage Trail, Cultural Convergence: Columbia Heights Heritage Trail, and Top of the Town: Tenelytown Heritage Trail. Both the Downtown Heritage Trail and the Greater U Street Heritage Trail offer a free, downloadable audio tour. For more information about Neighborhood Heritage Trails, visit www.CulturalTourismDC.org.
About Cultural Tourism DC
Cultural Tourism DC is an independent nonprofit coalition of more than 230 culture, heritage, and community organizations throughout the Nation’s Capital. Cultural Tourism DC helps Metro-area residents and visitors experience Washington’s authentic culture and heritage. For more information, visit www.CulturalTourismDC.org or call 202-661-7581.
For more information about President Lincoln’s Cottage, visit www.lincolncottage.org.
Photo courtesy Prince of Petworth blog, www.popville.com.
Categories:Archive, Public Programs, Visitor Tips
Tags:Cultural Tourism DC, heritage trail, Howard University, Jim Graham, Lincoln's Commute, President Lincoln's Cottage, prince of petworth, Washington D.C.
