Frederick Douglass National Historic Site

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  • Address
    1411 W St SE, Southeast DC
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  • Phone
    426 5961
  • Website
  • Transport
    bus: B2 or B4 from Anacostia Metro

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Lonely Planet review

This rather bulky title refers to Cedar Hill, the great abolitionist's Anacostia home, which is maintained as a museum honoring the diplomat, author and former slave's life and work. The house still contains most of his original furnishings, down to his wire-rim eyeglasses on his roll-top desk. Hourly tours are entertaining and informative. Start at the visitors center embedded in the foot of the hill, where you can see a short biographical film.

Tours of the house, where Douglass lived from 1877 until his death in 1895, touch on his 5-mile walk to work on Capitol Hill, his authorship of the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and his impressive five-figure salary. The hilltop home has a commanding view of DC.