Events DC is celebrating the 25th anniversary of Walking Town by offering multiple free summer walking tours—in addition to its regular September tours—that showcase the city's beauty and history of its vibrant neighborhoods.
Each September, thousands of people have enjoyed learning more about the District of Columbia and its culture through Walking Town, the city’s longest running public-guided walking tour program. This year, Events DC expanded the program to honor the 25 years of this initiative. Programming includes additional professionally guided tours, activations, the 17 DC Neighborhood Heritage Trails and more for residents and visitors to experience.
Attendees will have the ability to step into the rich history, captive stories and vibrant culture of the District as they experience the heartbeat of the city. In addition to the summer tours, the traditional program begins on September 14 and runs through September 22, with a special 25th anniversary closing celebration. Residents and visitors alike will have the opportunity to embark on an unforgettable journey throughout DC neighborhoods, discovering hidden gems, iconic landmarks and untold tales.
Walking Town offers an array of guided walking tours led by knowledgeable and passionate tour guides, historians and local enthusiasts who will provide participants with an insider’s perspective on the city’s diverse neighborhoods and historical sites. Whether you are a history enthusiast, architecture buff or simply eager to uncover the city’s best-kept secrets, this event has something for everyone.
This year, tours were kicked off in April with a tour of Kingman Island, an oasis within the city. A recent July tour featured the stories of community support for the Black and lower income residents in the Historic Alleyways tour of Blagden Alley and Naylor Court. Art at the Center showcased the Walter E. Washington Convention Center’s multi-million-dollar art collection of more than 130 works.
Highlights of Walking Town Summer 2024 include:
Thursday, August 8 at 3:00 p.m.
Ward 1
The History of Shaw and U Street NW
This walking tour traces the history of the U Street/Shaw area from the late 19th century to the present. Sites featured include, among others, the Civil War Memorial, and the history of how it got its name; the Howard Theatre and Duke Ellington statue; Camp Barker's role in protecting the "Contraband," i.e., the runaway enslaved, the circumstances of which created many subsequent organizations and places, including Howard University.
Sunday, August 11, at 9:30 a.m.
Ward 3
DC in the National Gallery of Art
Join this interior tour of the Gallery's West and East buildings and see works by renowned artists such as Gilbert Stuart and Augustus St. Gaudens that touch on moments in DC history. Discover a surprising number of artists who called Washington, DC home, including Alma Thomas, Sam Gilliam and Anne Truitt.
Saturday, August 24, at 11:00 a.m.
Ward 5
Origins of Brookland: In Buildings, Topography and Stories of Early Residents
Learn how Brookland developed from a farming community, producing vegetables and fruit for the center city markets in the 1880s, to a suburban development in the 1890s and then a bustling trolley car suburb in the 1920s. It will consider the influence of real estate investors such as Jesse Sherwood and John B. Lord and builders like George Heider and the architect, George Santmyers.
Saturday, August 24, at 10:00 a.m.
Ward 7
Penn Branch - A View from the Top
Stately detached homes, quiet tree-lined streets and striking vistas that can stretch from downtown to Silver Spring are just a few of the charms of this neighborhood. Discover the area’s history as part of a sprawling resort and planned development by a syndicate of prominent businesspeople that included California Senator George Hearst, President of New York Central Railroad Chauncey DePew and the Havemeyer family that owned Domino Sugar. Along the route, we'll pass a diverse array of homes that include works by notable DC architects.
Saturday, August 24, at 9:30 a.m.
Ward 8
Congress Heights - The Soul of the City That We All Should Explore
Dubbed the Soul of the City, Congress Heights has deep neighborhood roots, particularly among creatives and long-time small business owners. It is a community anchored by neighbor-owned legacy retail, service and creative business and the new developments in the St Elizabeth's campus complex.
Saturday, August 31, at 11:00 a.m.
Ward 4
Art and History Are Alive in the Cemetery
Historic Rock Creek Cemetery was established around 1726 and is one of the oldest cemeteries in the Mid-Atlantic. An 86-acre registered National Landmark, the cemetery is known for its beautiful park-like settings and magnificent pieces of funerary sculpture.
Saturday, August 31, at 9:30 a.m.
Ward 6
Southwest Heritage Trail
Until the 1950s, the neighborhood known as Southwest was Washington’s largest working-class, waterfront neighborhood. Then nearly all of Southwest was razed to create an entirely new city in the nation’s first experiment in urban renewal. Experience both the old and the new Southwest in the company of the first colonial settlers, migrants and immigrants, fishmongers, domestic workers, laborers, government clerks and congress members: all passengers on the journey from river farms to urban towers.
Visit https://eventsdc.com/walkingtowndc for more information about the individual tours and how to register.
