Treasures of DC's Capitol Hill

                                   “City of Magnificent Intentions” Charles Dickens

In 1790, while Philadelphia functioned as the Capitol, Congress granted George Washington the power, under the Residence Act, to find a location for and establish a permanent federal city. The following year Pierre L’Enfant was hired to create plans for the 10-sq-mile diamond-shaped Territory of Columbia. In 1792 Washington fired L’Enfant. 

Thomas recommended a free African American architect, astronomer and mathematician, to Washington that same year. At a rate of $2 daily he was designated assistant surveyor. His job included fixing the boundaries for and creating maps of the new city. More than 400 slaves worked on Jenkin’s Hill clearing trees and stumps. Their owners received $5 a month but had to supply the enslaved with a blanket.

The Territory of Columbia was the earliest city designed for a distinctive function. Jenkin’s Hill was selected, as the high point at the end of The Mall for the construction of the Capitol. The Capitol was to be the center of the city, not the White House. The idea was that the focus should always be on the law. The city has four quadrants. The north-south streets are numbered and the east-west streets are lettered with the exception of a missing “J” Street.

On August 24, 1814 British soldiers burned the building. After restorations the Capitol needed a new dome. The Statue of Freedom atop the building is 19-feet 6-inches, rises 288-ft and weighs 14,985 pounds. Philip Reid, an enslaved worker, assisted in casting the bronze sections.

The 4-sq.-mile Capitol Hill District is one of the United States’ largest historic districts. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. It is within walking distance of Union Station, the Metro, museums and the major federal buildings in the city.

The 2023 Royal Sonesta Capitol Hill offers 273 luxurious accommodations, deluxe amenities, a 10-story atrium, VIP pet packages and a number of the largest guestrooms in the city. They provide all the luxe amenities, WIFI, designer linens and enhanced cleaning standards. Public spaces feature curated artworks and an outstanding rooftop view. www.sonesta.com/royal-sonesta/dc/washington

Fine dining is part of the royal experience in Bistro Du Jour. The bar serves a menu of specialty cocktails and the restaurant presents French inspired cuisine with an American influence. Bistro Du Jour is open for all three meals and brunch. 

The Knight of Capitol Hill is the hotel’s ambassador. A beaver was chosen because of his early presence in the city and his engineering abilities. Legend has it that he was often seen swimming aside John Q. Adams.

Union Station was restored in the 1980s at a cost of $160-million. The Beaux-Arts building was constructed of granite. The Main Hall has a 96-ft. barrel-vaulted ceiling. The 3-level Concourse is filled with shops and eateries. 

The 1800 Sewall-Belmont became the National Women’s Headquarters in 1929 after a series of relocations. The mansion was rebuilt after the fire in 1814 making it one of the Capitol Hill’s oldest mansions. In 1997 it was declared a museum and the archives of the National Woman’s Party headquarters. Suffragettes were persecuted by the public and the police for attempting to gain the vote. Many were imprisoned and abused. On the exterior of the building are the original steps of the Occoquan Prison. 

The Supreme Court is located on the site of the Old Brick Capitol and the Old Capitol Prison. The prison held the enslaved, POWs, spies, John Mosby, Belle Boyd and the Lincoln conspirators including Mary Surratt. Today the Supreme Court stands as a monument to justice and the law and the classical exterior, harkening back to the Parthenon, is awe-inspiring. The building, facing the Capitol, is 385-feet long, 304-feet wide and is entered by 6.5-ton bronze doors. A 252-ft. wide oval terrace showcases two seated statues, a female, the Contemplation of Justice and a male sculpture representing the Guardian or Authority of Law. The façade is comprised of Vermont marble with white Georgia marble used for the four inner courtyards. The main pediment displays robed figures and the architect, Cass Gilbert, placed himself among them. The building’s cornerstone was laid on October 13, 1932. 

President Adams authorized $5000 for books for Congressional use in 1800. This was the genesis of the Library of Congress, the world’s largest library. The collection is in the millions as well as the U.S. Copyright Office. After the library was burned in 1814, during the War of 1812, former President Thomas Jefferson sold Congress his 6,487-volume personal library for $23,950. 

The Library of Congress is actually three buildings, the 1897 Thomas Jefferson Building the 1938 John Adams Building and the 1981 James Madison Memorial Building was completed in 1981. A highlight of a visit to the Library of Congress is the impressive Thomas Jefferson Building. It is modeled after the Paris Opera House. The mosaics, murals and statuary reinforce the themes of knowledge and education. Treasures include a Gutenberg Bible printed with moveable type and the contents of Lincoln’s pockets when he was assassinated. Tours are free.

Located below the East Front Plaza of the Capitol is the Capitol Visitor Center, the main entrance to the U.S. Capitol. Statues are on view around the site including a true to size model of the Statue of Freedom. Nearby is a small display on African American contributions to the construction of the Capitol.

Any season is perfect for a visit to Capitol Hill but the December Holiday season is particularly exciting. Many of the streets are decorated and the National Christmas Tree, The National Menorah and the US Capitol Christmas Tree are dressed in holiday lights.

Experience comfort and joy in the Capitol Hill District. 

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THE SOUL of MACON

“I try to write songs that people can relate to, that touch their hearts and make them feel something.”   Otis Redding

             Macon, Georgia is located in the Piedmont province on the west bank of the Ocumulgee River, in the place where soul was created and is sustained. The area was settled in 1806 under the auspices of Thomas Jefferson when he established a military outpost, Fort Hawkins, and a center for trading with the natives in the then Indian Territory. #VisitMarconGA

             The Cherokee, Muskogee and Uchee Indians ceded the territory and in 1823 and Macon, named after Senator Nathaniel Macon, was born. Ocumulgee Mounds National Historical Park stands as a starkreminder of 17,000 years of native culture. A highlight of the site is the rebuilt Earth Lodge with a 1,000-year-old floor.

            The earliest group of enslaved Africans in the region accompanied the Spanish Explorers, most notably among Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón's 600 colonists in 1526. Later the majority of the enslaved from Charleston, Savannah and St. Augustine. Whenever and wherever Africans went they carried their music with them in the form of instruments, dance and song. The music eased the daily burdens, expressed religious beliefs, emotions and celebrated small victories and joys. 

            Soul music is a blending of blues, gospel, jazz and is defined by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as the “music that arose out of the black experience in America.” Soul music is participatory in that the audience is encouraged to dance, sing, clap, respond, etc. It was popularized in America in the 60s and 70s and went on to be influential worldwide. Macon, Georgia emerged as the womb of Southern rock and soul music and the spiritual and physical home of the Allman Brothers, Little Richard and Otis Redding. 

The annual King of Soul Music Festival honors Redding’s ongoing contributions to music and culture as well as his personal legacy. The festival benefits the Otis Redding Foundation for the Arts and its current goal is to erect a center with labs, studio space and an amphitheater. Otis Redding’s stated in 1967 his desire to establish a summer camp for children and teach economic and civic responsibilities. 

            Otis Redding Museum relates the story of Redding’s life through a curated series of photographs, artifacts and memorabilia. An on-site shop enhances your tour with unique books and customized items.

                  The Allman Brothers, 70s pioneers of Southern rock, lived in The Big House, along with their posse, from 1970 to 1973. Now a museum, each room is a gallery dedicated to an aspect of their music. Nearby H&H Soul Food was a particular favorite of the Allman Brothers and other musicians.

            Little Richard House Resource Center is charged with preserving his childhood home. The Architect of Rock and Roll, Richard Wayne Pennimen, was born in Macon on December 5,1932. His home is on view at 416 Craft St. A birthday celebration will be held Dec. 4- 7.

            Macon was designated one of the 2024 Great American Main Street Award winners for excellence in historic preservation. The city has fifteen historic districts with more than 6,000 structures, on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors can access a “Tour Mobile” app that interprets African American sites along the "Black Heritage Trail" trail. The Macon Visitor's Center creatively presents the people and history of the city. Highlights are a giant music legends mural and a literal walk -through history. A one-hour guided riding tour is offered that includes the major sites.

The Tubman Museum is a jewel in Macon’s crown. Highlights of the exhibits are a 63-foot-long mural depicting the African American experience from Africa to the 21^st-century and an outstanding gallery display on the life and career of Tyler Perry. The Tubman is one of the largest museums of its type in the region.

            Charles Douglass built the Douglass Theater in 1921. The theater was one of the first black owned theaters and presented all of the renowned entertainers of the era. It was on the Chitlin Circuit. Otis Redding won the singing competition here so often that he was barred from the competition. The Douglass has been lovingly restored and tours are available.

            The Macon Terminal Station was constructed in 1916 by the architect who built Grand Central Station. The station closed in 1975 but the city elected to retain the exterior carved sign reading “Colored Only” as a memorial.

            Hotel Forty Five is located in the Business District and is within walking distance of the most significant locations. It is a full-service boutique hotel with three dining venues. There are 94 guestrooms, deluxe amenities and designer touches with a music theme. Hotelfortyfive.com

“If these streets could talk, they’d sing.”