Historic Sites in Bethesda

"The chilling story of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination comes to life in the very place he was mortally shot on April 14, 1865. After being closed for 103 years, Ford’s Theater was restored and reopened in 1968. Serving as a tribute to Abraham Lincoln and his love of the performing arts, the Theater is a live, working theater that plays host to a variety of plays by some of the country’s most talented playwrights, actors and artists."

"Despite being the place where President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, Ford’s Theatre is still open today, and it’s still bringing plays, musicals, speeches, comedy shows and other live events to the residents of Washington, DC. The venue is small and cozy. It retains a lot of its original decor from the 1800s, including red carpets and golden railings in front of the balcony seats."

"Ford’s Theatre is worth a visit even if you only take a peek inside. This Washington, DC attraction is famous for Lincoln’s assassination. They offer tours of the theatre and tell stories, including the history of the Lincoln assassination."

"The sumptuous home of cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post (1887-1973) is one of the top museums for decorative arts in the United States. Post had an eye for 18th-century French and pre-Revolution Russian art, particularly Fabergé eggs, and there are two in the collection, along with liturgical art, porcelain, tapestries, furniture and portraits. A painting of one of Post’s heroines, Catharine the Great commands the Entry Hall stairway, and the tour will show you through a series of lavish rooms like the French Porcelain Room, Russian Sacred Arts Room and the Post Bedroom Suite."

"Put together by a rich heiress with a taste for high art and culture, the Hillwood Estate is filled with things like tapestries, portraits, ornaments, flowers, tea sets and porcelain goods. It’s a collection that spans the globe, and it’s one of the best places to visit in Washington, DC if you enjoy delicate beauty. The Hillwood Estate is technically known as a “decorative arts museum."

"This beautiful museum and estate offers a collection of 18th and 19th century French art and art treasures from Imperial Russia. There are also lovely gardens that should offer a scenic area for kissing. Don't pick the flowers, though!"

"Established during the Civil War on land once owned by Robert E. Lee, Arlington National Cemetery is home to the Tomb of the Unknowns and the eternal flame marking President John F. Kennedy’s grave as well as the final resting places of numerous other famous Americans. Located near the entrance, Arlington House, the Robert E. Lee Memorial, overlooks the Potomac and National Mall. The site features the house, gardens and outbuildings, including former slave quarters."

"Arlington is the somber final resting place for more than 400,000 military personnel and their dependents. The 624-acre grounds contain the dead of every war the USA has fought since the Revolution. Highlights include the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, with its elaborate changing-of-the-guard ceremony (every hour on the hour October through March; every half-hour April through September), and the grave of John F Kennedy and his family, marked by an eternal flame."

"Over the Potomac and into Arlington County, Virginia, is the most esteemed cemetery in the United States. A resting place for military personnel, Arlington National Cemetery is on an enormous scale, covering 624 acres and containing some 400,000 graves. It was established in 1864 during the Civil War on the rolling green grounds of an estate that had belonged to Mary Anna Custis Lee, wife of Confederate General Robert E Lee."

"Abolitionist, author and statesman Frederick Douglass occupied this hilltop house from 1878 until his death in 1895. Original furnishings, books, photographs and other personal belongings paint a compelling portrait of this great man. Visits into the home are by guided tour only and are free on a first-come-first-served basis but can be reserved ahead of time online for a small fee."

"Frederik Douglass NHS is located in the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington D.C. The park is open year-round and offers tours of Frederick Douglass's home and grounds. Frederik Douglass was born in 1818. Despite being born into slavery he learned to read without any formal education."

"1411 W St. SE Washington, DC. Frederick Douglass, the famous abolitionist, and advisor to Lincoln, bought this house in SE Washington, DC in 1877. The year that it was built is unknown. The National Historic Site was recently restored and reopened in 2007."

"This national historic site is located in 1318 Vermont Avenue in Northwest, Washington DC. The site is where the house of Mary McLeod Bethune is, which is a three-story Victorian house with a two-story carriage house. The carriage house is where the archives of the Black Women’s history is hidden. There is also a research center within the property, on top of the National Archives."

"Recently renovated, this site preserves the home of a woman who accomplished so much for the burgeoning Civil Rights movement, including her work on Eleanor Roosevelt’s shadow cabinet. Bethune was profoundly influential, and learning more about her made us consider how much of our nation's history does not make it into a high school history textbook."

"Mary McLeod Bethune Council House NHS is located in Northwest Washington D.C. The park is open year-round and offers tours of the historic home and a park movie. Mary Mcleod Bethune was born in 1875 to parents who had been enslaved prior to Emancipation. She was very focused on her education."

"President Lincoln's Cottage, also known as President Lincoln and Soldiers’ Home National Monument, is located in the Petworth neighborhood of Northwest Washington, DC. To escape both the DC heat and political pressures, President Abraham Lincoln and his family stayed in the cottage seasonally."

"With a tenure of 36 years in the city of Washington, DC, DeCarlo’s has firmly established itself as part of the city’s local color. The restaurant has an atmosphere that evokes nostalgia and celebrates its longtime presence in the nation’s capital. The menu offers a mix of Italian staple dishes, including pastas, antipasti, light entrees, and a surprisingly extensive garnish list, plus a number of Mediterranean-style seafood plates."

"This Japanese-fusion restaurant is always a go-to because it’s far from your typical sushi joint. With both sushi and tacos on the menu, KAiZEN has anything you’re craving and is the perfect solution when you can’t decide what to eat. As a sushi fanatic, it’s safe to say I’ve tried most of the rolls in Alexandria, and this place wins for both flavor and atmosphere."

"We tried a few cocktails, with the ranch water being a hit, and started with the cowboy caveir.” See all The Pinemoor reviews"