Capitol Hill's Lincoln Park was the first public space named in honor of President Lincoln, in 1867. A few years later, a statue commemorating the emancipation of American slaves was placed in the park, with none other than Frederick Douglass speaking at the unveiling. Thirty-five years ago the orientation of the statue -- originally toward the U.S. Capitol -- was reversed, so that Lincoln now faces the more recently installed statue of Mary McLeod Bethune, which was officially unveiled on July 10, Bethune's birthday, in 1974. more ›

Good morning, Washington. More news today on the Virginia abusive driver's fees front, this time even closer to home. Arlington residents will be cheered to hear that an Arlington County General District Court judge has ruled that Virginia's abusive-driver fees are unconstitutional. Judge Dorothy H. Clarke is the fourth District Court judge in Virginia to make such a ruling, but the first one in Northern Virginia. Naturally, the state will appeal the decision, and this... more ›

A few weeks ago DCist dug into status of dogs in the district. Needless to say, pet owners and non-owners alike had a few things to say about the availability of dog parks and picking up poochs' poop. Now we hear about the case of Deputy White House Spokesman Dana Perino's husband, who spent a day in jail for his failure to keep his canine companion on a leash. Back in November, Perino's husband, British... more ›

At one point or another, we've all had something we picked up off the street. Be it a couch someone needed to rid themselves of, an old picture frame, even a ratty yet functioning toaster oven -- look hard enough, and the District's sidewalks and the stuff people put on them can serve to furnish or decorate your house. But when does someone's free giveaway become someone else's garbage? We can't just dump trash bags... more ›

It was on April 16, 1862 that President Abraham Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation Act, effectively freeing 3,100 slaves in the District some nine months before a similar step was taken nationwide. While the District officially recognized the day from 1866 to 1901, it wasn't until 2002 that it was once again elevated to a historic celebration and until last year that it became a citywide holiday. more ›

If any DCist readers happen to see someone like the character at right running around the Lincoln Park area of Capitol Hill, they'd be advised to get on the horn and inform police as quickly as possible. DCist sources are reporting that an unknown number of inmates housed at the Oak Hill youth detention facility escaped today while on route to court appearances, most in the vicinity of Lincoln Park. WJLA is reporting that while... more ›

One thing we all know for certain is that you should not mess with your mom. So when moms unite, look out. Local group Moms on the Hill (MOTH) has had enough with watching people suffer in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and they have found a way that they can help directly. On Monday some refugees from Katrina will arrive in Washington where they will take shelter in the D.C. Armory, in the eastern part of Capitol Hill. The MOTHs are holding a Candlelight Prayer Vigil tomorrow evening, Saturday, Sept. 3, beginning at 5 p.m. The vigil will be held at Lincoln Park, located at E. Capitol St. between 11th and 13th St. more ›

There's really no reason for a non-resident to come to the blocks around the 400 block of 13th Street NE, unless it's to visit friends. The area is quiet, home to a mix of families that have lived in the neighborhood for a hundred years, families that have just moved to the area, and a handful of younger renters. The closest scenic spot is probably the Mary McLeod Bethune statue in Lincoln Park, though development on H Street is promising. Metrorail is a hike any way you cut it, and the closest place to grab something to eat is the N-A-Minit convenience store, where basic toiletries, lunchmeats, bread, milk, and beer are available at a fair price. We should correct ourselves -- were available. As of this week, the N-A-Minit locked its doors, driven out by a combination of local pressure and declining business. But the local pressure did not come from everyone in the area, and the closure of the local convenience store has left many residents reeling. more ›

OK, here we go for the final installment of the happy hour trivia question. We'll get to that in a second. Whoever can figure out this last part -- the part that really counts -- and finds this DCist first at the happy hour gets a free drink. And if you can tell us where we partially screwed up the first part, that'll earn you another. In Thursday's installment, we asked you for a sum.... more ›

At the eastern end of Lincoln Park along East Capitol Street, there are bronze statues of a large woman and two large children (well, the statues are large). They are frozen in mid-dance, facing toward the city’s first statue of Abraham Lincoln and the Capitol in the distance. The figures are rough-hewn, like tree bark, and elevated on a massive stone platform itself about five feet high. The woman is Mary McLeod Bethune, and the... more ›