Man looking at map near wooden stairs and fence - historical marker database

Self-guided · County in D.C.

Historical Marker Database in District of Columbia, DC

A searchable record of markers and listed sites with coordinates, sources and stories, kept current by the people who visit them.

Open the D.C. map · All states

Photo: Jaipreet Singh on Unsplash

District of Columbia is one of 1 counties in D.C.. Every listing carries a name, a location and a source. That is the starting point for deeper work in the local archives.

A woman wearing headphones looks at a map - historical marker database — Photo: Trương Tuyết Ly on Unsplash

A person looking at a map - historical marker database — Photo: Ashwini Chaudhary(Monty) on Unsplash

A man stands reading informational plaques by an old stone bridge - historical marker database — Photo: fotios-photos on Pexels

On the record near District of Columbia, DC

The 12 nearest

881 listed historic sites on the record within 30 miles of District of Columbia, DC. 580 listed sites carry District of Columbia as their county.

Langston, John Mercer, Schoolunder a mile from the center of District of Columbia · Building · Washington · listed 2013National Register of Historic Places
Armstrong Manual Training Schoolunder a mile from the center of District of Columbia · Building · Washington · listed 1996National Register of Historic Places
Slater, John Fox, Elementary Schoolunder a mile from the center of District of Columbia · Building · Washington · listed 2013National Register of Historic Places
Washington Animal Rescue League Animal Shelterunder a mile from the center of District of Columbia · Building · Washington · listed 2020National Register of Historic Places
Third Baptist Churchunder a mile from the center of District of Columbia · Building · Washington, DC. · listed 2008National Register of Historic Places
Chapman Coal Company Garage and Stableunder a mile from the center of District of Columbia · Building · Washington · listed 2013National Register of Historic Places
O Street Marketunder a mile from the center of District of Columbia · Building · Washington · listed 1995National Register of Historic Places
Engine Company 12under a mile from the center of District of Columbia · Building · Washington · listed 2007National Register of Historic Places
Augusta Apartment Buildingunder a mile from the center of District of Columbia · Building · Washington · listed 1994National Register of Historic Places
Lafayette Apartment Buildingunder a mile from the center of District of Columbia · Building · Washington · listed 1994National Register of Historic Places
Barker, George M., Company Warehouseunder a mile from the center of District of Columbia · Building · Washington · listed 2008National Register of Historic Places
Terrell, Mary Church, Houseunder a mile from the center of District of Columbia · Building · Washington · listed 1975National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of District of Columbia, DC. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Marker Database in District of Columbia, step by step

1
Pull every listed site in the area with its source
2
Match the sites to the records you are working from
3
Visit and photograph what still stands
4
Note anything missing, moved or wrong on the record
5
Submit corrections and photos so the record improves

What people in District of Columbia, DC ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in District of Columbia, DC?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Can I correct a mistake in a listing?

Yes. Send a photo, a location fix or a note with your source, and it is checked before it changes the record. People who visit the sites are the best check the record has.

Does this replace the official register files?

No. It points you to them. Each site names its source so you can go to the full nomination file or marker program record for the deeper detail.

How a visit works in District of Columbia

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In District of Columbia, DC the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.
Step 2
Read the story
The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.
Step 3
Get there under your own power
Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in District of Columbia, DC are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.
Step 4
Collect it and come back
Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.