Jackie Spainhour will present an Overbook Lecture, “Historic Congressional Cemetery: A Vision through the Centuries,” Monday, December 16, 2024, 7 pm, at Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE.

Over 200 years ago, a group of residents looked around and saw that there was a need for a burial ground in the eastern section of the new city. So began what we now call Historic Congressional Cemetery (HCC), designated a National Historic Landmark in 2011. HCC President Jackie Spainhour will highlight the stories of the cemetery and some of the more than 65,000 people buried there, including notables in both national and city life. Ms. Spainhour will also explain how the nonprofit organization which operates the cemetery has responded to social changes and continues to innovate to serve as a community gathering space.

As president of HCC, Ms. Spainhour oversees a staff of fourteen.  Previously, she served as director of Hunter House Victorian Museum in Norfolk, VA, and as a college instructor for courses in history at Old Dominion University.

The lecture at Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, will begin at 7:00 pm (note the earlier start time). Admission is free but a reservation is required due to limited capacity. The night of the lecture, seating will begin at 6:30 pm for guests with reservations. Available seats will be released to others beginning at 6:45 pm.

If you are unable to attend, please notify Hill Center (202-549-4172) so that another person can attend.

Overbeck lectures are supported by the Capitol Hill Community Foundation. For more information on the lecture series, visit CapitolHillHistory.org.