Capitol Hill residents were recently treated to a rare glimpse of the past at the site of the Shotgun House at 1229 E Street, SE. Passers-by have doubtless noticed that the Shotgun House is no longer standing. What they may not know is that it has been carefully dis-assembled and the materials inventoried, so that it can be moved and restored very near its original location. In the meantime, the site is an active archaeological dig – a very rare occurrence in the Capitol Hill Historic District and an opportunity for neighbors and historians to learn more about early life in the nation’s capitol.

CHRS encourages residents to adhere to these best practices (summarized from the District guidelines), which will contribute to the robust growth and general health of Capitol Hill’s public space trees.

District regulations regarding Tree Space Beautification (in ,pdf format)

Tree Space Beautification Best Practices (in .pdf format):

The D.C. Historic Preservation Office hosts  HistoryQuest DC, a GIS-based web map that provides historical data on approximately 127,000 extant buildings in Washington, D.C. The historic data is easily retrievable and can be queried and mapped, providing a new tool for illustrating the city’s building history and patterns of urban development.

New York Times reports on Capitol Hill in 11/20/2016 real estate section

Recently CHRS received several questions on what is an appropriate type of  replacement door and where to buy one. Here are some ideas:  

Washington Gas is installing ugly new and, obtrusive gas meters over the objection of homeowners.   A loophole in the building permit law appears responsible.

Six practical reasons to save old buildings – from our friends at the National Trust for Historic Preservation