Historical Neighborhood Walking Tour, Adams Morgan-FREE In-Person Event

Historical Neighborhood Walking Tour, Adams Morgan-FREE In-Person Event

This historical walking tour is an opportunity to see several historical and cultural sites in the Adams Morgan neighborhood in Washington, DC for FREE while learning about some of the history of this famous neighborhood! The Adams Morgan Day street festival is fully back in person this year on September 11th so let's learn about this great neighborhood beforehand.

What do the final home of famous explorer Admiral Robert Peary, the site of the world's first Toys "R" Us store, the site of the mill of President John Quincy Adams, a mural of DC's most famous "Madam", the site of the 3rd deadliest structural engineering failure in US history, an abandoned lot turned into a park where a neighborhood youth sports league brought a hurting community together, the site of numerous arts and social justice movements and political dissidents, a commercial strip with innumerable restaurants, bars, nightclubs and the birth of the comically large "Jumbo Slice" pizza all have in common? These sites and so much more are all in richly eclectic, dynamic, fascinating Adams Morgan! Come learn the history behind this profane and profound neighborhood brought together through oppression and opportunity, integration and innovation, cooperation and collaboration, tragedy and triumph, challenge and change. See how 4 small disparate neighborhoods came together as the city grew from rural backwater to a major world capital, a crossroads on a hill overlooking the great power of Washington while forming a distinctive and special local DC community with a heart all its own.

No tickets are required- just show up. This event is open to the public and all are welcome including individuals, couples and groups.

Where & When We'll Meet:

We'll begin gathering outside of the entrance to the Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan metro station (near the M&T Bank and McDonald's) at 9:45 AM. At 10:10 AM, we'll do short introductions and then start with a 5–10-minute presentation giving a historical overview of the neighborhood before heading out.

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Logistics - Please Read - Subject to Change
Event Hours: 10:00 AM-1:00 PM. Participants can arrive and depart whenever they like.
Weather: The event will take place rain or shine (thunderstorms/heavy rain excepted).
Parking: Limited Street parking is available in the area, check nearby residential streets (always check the street signs). There are also several nearby paid parking garages.
Schedule/Meeting Points: First stop from the Woodley Park metro station will be the Duke Ellington Bridge. At each stop, the host will give a brief presentation (about 3-5 minutes) on the history of the site and its larger significance in the neighborhood. We'll begin returning to the metro station at around 1 PM after the tour.

Here's the itinerary for the walk in the order of the sites we're visiting:

• Duke Ellington Bridge
• The Biltmore
• Mama Ayesha's
• Walter Pierce Park
• Holt House/Adams Mill Site
• "Demuralized" Mural
• Knickerbocker Theatre Site
• First Church of Christ, Scientist Site (The Line DC hotel)/Unity Park
  *Restroom Break inside The Line DC hotel*
• The Ontario Theatre Site
• The Potter's House
• 17th Street Schools/National Arena Site (Harris Teeter store)
• Morgan School Site (Marie Reed)/Adams Elementary School
• Robert Peary House
• The New Thing Art & Architecture Center Site/DC Arts Center
• A Taste of Nightlife on 18th Street (Jumbo Slice vs. Pizza Mart, Tryst, Madam's Organ)
• The Courage of Hortense Prout (Kalorama Park)
• Fleet Feet (Last Site)
  *Return to Woodley Park metro station*

Once we start, I won't be able to check my phone for updates or questions until after the tour. If you're running late, check one of the sites along the tour itinerary, as they are mostly a short walking distance away from each other, and join in there. The tour is about 3.0 miles (some hills) and about 0.5 miles walk back to the metro from the last site so about 3.5 miles total walking if you're going back to the metro afterwards. The tour itself will take about 3.0 hours including time for walking, presentations and short breaks. It's highly recommended to bring water and sunscreen and wear comfortable shoes and clothing. Please be comfortable covering the distance and conditions of the tour before signing up.
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Safety:

This event is almost entirely outdoors. Participants may enter specific facilities open to the public at their discretion. Masks are optional for those who choose to do so, depending on establishment rules.

Host:

Your event host will be Mike O'Mara, a Washington History & Culture Meetup group veteran. I'm 6'3" & I'll wear glasses and a dark blue Washington Nationals baseball cap.

Additional Questions:

All necessary information is provided in the event description. Any further questions, please ask below before the event.