“Deer House” and Other Grand Dames Highlight This Special Tour
by Aileen C. Moffatt
This year CHRS celebrates 50 years of the annual Mother’s Day House and Garden Tour, and what a spectacular tour it will be! On Saturday, May 12, and Sunday,May 13, some of the most intriguing and notable Capitol Hill houses are being opened in honor of this special anniversary.
For the first time since 1978, the “deer house” is on the tour. Who hasn’t walked by that magnificent East Capitol home and wanted to have a look inside? Several other East Capitol grand dames also will be on view, along with a diverse collection of architecturally stunning renovations and restorations from across the Hill.
Light and bright are recurring themes in this year’s homes. Three of the venues, for example, have opened up the back of the house with floor-to-ceiling glass doors and windows. The result is to extend the boundaries of the home into the outdoors and allow the sunlight to brighten the kitchen and family room. Other homeowners have extended their homes by adding a screened-in porch or awnings to help keep the elements at bay.
One of the Hill’s great restoration projects of recent years is another highlight of this year’s tour. Once divided into nine apartments, the house at East Capitol and 8th Street is now a modern family home with four young boys in residence. Notwithstanding some disheartening setbacks while the work was being done, the house was finally -completed after 3 1/2 years. The preservation work in this house is remarkable, from the floors to the pocket doors and trims throughout.
Saturday evening the tour runs from 5:00 – 8:00 pm, with a reception for ticket holders at the Community Building of The Townhomes on Capitol Hill, located at 750 Sixth Street, SE. May 12 is also Second Saturday on Barracks Row, and we encourage you to visit the restaurants, galleries, and shops on Eighth Street, SE.
On Sunday, the tour is from 12:00 noon – 5:00 pm. Jitney service will be provided between all venues. The annual Mother’s Day Tea will be held at Christ Church Parish Hall, 620 G Street, SE, from 2:30 – 5:30 pm. In addition, CHRS is pleased to help Historic Congressional Cemetery celebrate its 200th anniversary by providing special jitneys that will leave from Christ Church hourly beginning at 12:45 pm for guided tours of the Cemetery.
By the time you are reading this, CHRS members should have received a notice regarding the purchase of discounted members’ tickets. (If you haven’t received the notice, contact CHRS at 202-543-0425 or CapHRS@aol.com. The non-member ticket price is $25 in advance and $30 on tour weekend. 
Tickets may be purchased at the CHRS kiosk at Eastern Market (weekends only) or at select venues around the city.
CHRS Projects
Capitol Hill History &
Historic District
Database of Historic Building Permits, Squares 1000–1125
© Copyright 2001-2008, Capitol Hill Restoration Society. All rights reserved. Last updated January 13, 2008.
Website hosted by DC Access.