Capitol Hill Parks

Most people think of Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, as the site of serious deliberations and the making of laws. This is the location of the House of Representatives and the Senate, where speeches are declaimed, legislation crafted and the business of the country performed. It is also the home of many gracious, welcoming park areas, called collectively The Capitol Hill Parks.

Parks and men

There are four main parks in the Capitol Hill Parks system – Folger, Lincoln, Marion and Stanton Parks, all named for famous men in American history. Folger Park is named for Charles J, Folger, a former Secretary of the Treasury. Lincoln Park honors our 16th president. Marion Park commemorates Francis “The Swamp Fox” Marion of Revolutionary War fame and Stanton Park is named for Secretary of War Edwin Stanton of the Civil War era. Lincoln Park is the largest of the four, covering 7 acres.

More greenery

In addition to the four main parks, the National Park Service also includes 59 circles, triangles and median areas as part of the Capitol Hill Parks. These green spaces are tended and preserved as resting places for all, and each is part of the original design for the city of Washington, DC, rendered by architect Pierre L’Enfant.

Visitors to Washington, DC, are often overwhelmed by the sheer number of historic and artistic buildings available for tours and exploration. It is good to know that there are also many places of quiet, elegant nature scattered throughout America’s Capitol City.