On a hill overlooking downtown Washington is a cottage built for George W. Riggs around 1842. In 1851, the estate was sold to the Federal Government, which purchased it in order to found a home for veteran soldiers. During the Civil War, President Lincoln lived in that cottage on the grounds of the Soldiers’ Home from June into November to escape the heat and distractions of life at the White House. Lincoln first visited the grounds three days after his inauguration and last rode out to the site the day before his assassination. While living at the Cottage for 13 months from 1862-1864, he regularly commuted to the White House. The Cottage opened to the public in 2008.
Rock Creek Church Yard and Cemetery contributes to the cultural heritage and visual beauty of the District of Columbia. Covering 85 acres, the cemetery is sited on high ground with terrain falling away to the north from the main gate. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church lies opposite the entrance gate toward the center of the cemetery. The cemetary was designed and laid out in the mid-19th century in a similar manner introduced at Mount Auburn Cemetery, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. There are many mature native trees including the ancient Glebe Oak, with a circumference of more than 17 feet. There are many interesting grave markers, monuments, mausoleums and sculpture reflecting the long history of the cemetery and the status and sensibilities of those buried within it.
Petworth Neighborhood Library at 4200 Kansas Ave. NW was the sixth neighborhood library to open in the District. The two-and-a-half story library building opened on Jan. 27, 1939. The library, sited on public property donated by the D.C. School Board, was built after Petworth-area organizations waged an extended campaign to obtain a public library in their community.