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
When looking for subjects to write about, I try to stay within the bounds of greater Capitol Hill, which are generally accepted to end at Florida Avenue on the north side. But occasionally, there is something close by that I really want to write about – so I’ll stretch the rules ever so slightly. So, […]
Yesterday marked the 200th anniversary of the Burning of Washington by the British during the War of 1812. Commemorations of the event occurred across the region, with Bladensburg leading the way. Closer to home, there were numerous celebrations. These celebrations included a tour of the Navy Yard neighborhood that attempted to reconstruct what this area […]
I have previously written about various different markets on the Hill. As I was re-reading S J Ackerman’s book on Eastern Market, I realized that there was one that I had not yet discussed.
When researching various parts of the Hill, the most interesting part is when some intriguing character becomes involved in the story. Often, they make for better stories than the actual landmark under scrutiny. This certainly goes for Lieutenant Colonel Franklin Wharton, who is far more interesting than the wharf that he owned briefly around the […]
In a few weeks, I will be giving a tour of the Navy Yard neighborhood, to try to give a sense of what the area looked like just before the British arrived on August 24, 1814. In order to prepare, I have been looking through old texts learn more about what used to be there […]