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| Rowhouses along the northern edge of Lincoln Park |
Folks who haven’t spent much time in DC may not know that Capitol Hill is very residential once you get beyond the Capitol, legislative office buildings, Supreme Court, and Library of Congress. As you head east, away from the Capitol building, you’ll encounter block after block of classic rowhouses and the occasional corner store or neighborhood pharmacy. I love the quiet and easygoing vibe around here, especially because there are plenty of green spaces like Lincoln Park.
Lincoln Park has been one of my favorite DC spots for a while, due in part to the fact that tourists don’t tend to venture that far east from the more popular sites around the Capitol and Eastern Market. Being a Hill staffer, it’s also one of the few outdoor spaces around here where I feel like I have true privacy. Stanton Park, for instance, is lovely and has lots of benches, but it’s so close to work that I inevitably run into someone I know. Or it’s so overrun with toddlers that I can’t quite relax. No offense to my coworkers or toddlers, but sometimes a girl’s just gotta find some SPACE.
Anyway, I tend to hang out in Lincoln Park while sipping on some tea from P&C Market, a charming specialty foods store that carries everything from fancy chocolates to wine to Sriracha. On nice days, you’re likely to find locals playing with their dogs under old, beautiful trees, couples walking with strollers, runners circling the perimeter, and groups enjoying picnics in the grass. Most importantly, there’s also a dog play group that meets most evenings.
Note: it’s not considered socially acceptable to just walk up play with strangers’ dogs (obvious in hindsight), unless of course you borrow your friend’s dog to join the play group. I prefer not to let my canine companion off the leash, since there is traffic around the perimeter of the park, but many let their dogs loose. It’s not yet clear to me if that’s technically okay, but I’ve never seen anyone enforcing leash laws.
If you’re curious, the National Park Service, which maintains the space, has a mini-history of the park on its website. It’s an interesting read if you have a moment to learn about the Lincoln statue, Frederick Douglass’s critical keynote address delivered at the dedication ceremony, and the memorial to activist and educator Mary McLeod Bethune - the first monument to honor an African American woman in a DC public park!
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| Half of the park is currently under construction, but you can sort of make out the Bethune memorial in the center. |
Lincoln Park is the ideal hangout for anyone looking for a little quiet, a good running spot, or some serious dog-time. Nothing too exciting ever happens there, but that’s what I love about it. You can always find some solitude, and when you’re ready for some action, you’re only four blocks away from Eastern Market and its busy shops, restaurants, and public transportation.
So tell us: do you have a favorite outdoor space in your city? What makes it special? Leave your answer in the comments – we’d love to hear from you!
