Robert Pohl worked for many years as a computer programmer but recovered from that and became a full time stay-at-home dad. With his son now in school, he has expanded his horizons and become a self-taught historian. He has written books about his house as well as Emancipation in the District of Columbia. You can reach Robert at Robert[at]thehillishome.com
Michael Shiner is one of the more fascinating characters from the history of Capitol Hill. Born a slave in Maryland, he was brought to Washington and put to work at the Navy Yard. He managed to emancipate himself, and was a long-time resident of Capitol Hill. Most importantly, however, he wrote a diary that gives […]
Capitol Hill shut down again, leaving its residents to frolic in the snow. Below, some pictures from the first two days of the snowstorm some call…Snowzilla:
As I work through the history of the Navy Yard neighborhood (or Navy Yard Hill, as we have learned to call it) a look into the area’s most infamous resident seemed in order, that of David Herold, Lincoln conspirator, and the man who was with John Wilkes Booth when the latter was killed. The question […]
Last week, we looked at one of the militia companies that were formed in D.C. after the election of Abraham Lincoln made Washington’s location precarious. Today, we look at another of the companies, this one composed mainly of Navy Yard employees. On January 9, 1861, a meeting was held at the East Washington Library Association, […]
I have been looking at the role of the Washington Navy Yard during the Civil War of late, and particularly at the days after Lincoln’s election but before his inauguration, when D.C.’s situation looked precarious at best. In this fraught time, militias sprang up across the city, and the Navy Yard was especially looked to […]