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
Most of the people that I have written about in this space lived for a long time on Capitol Hill, long enough to become part of the the fabric of the community. I’m particularly partial to those who actually were born here. But some who become a part of the Hill lived here for much […]
One of the first discussions we ever had here at The Hill is Home is what, exactly, are the limits of the Hill. And there are great arguments for drawing the lines in different ways, and it is sure to be a discussion that will continue as long as people live on Capitol Hill. But […]
Washington DC is full of “temporary” things that have become permanent, and critics often decry any “temporary” government action by saying that it is bound to become permanent. There are, however, numerous excellent counter-examples, with the best-known probably the tempos built on the Mall during World War II. Closer to home, though somewhat earlier, there […]
Much is made of the fact that the Marine Commandant’s House is the oldest continually-operated Federal building in DC. It has stood at the north end of the Marine Barracks since 1806, five years after the Barracks were built. The Barracks themselves, which run down the east and west side of the Square, are much […]
Many people have come to Capitol Hill to seek their fortune – or fame. Some, as we saw last week, went from the Hill to fame. But many, many more have arrived on the Hill with highest hopes, that they have found shattered or even landed them in jail. Usually, this happens to someone whose […]