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Capitol Hill in Southeast Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Christ Church and Its Parishioners

Tour of Duty

— Barracks Row Heritage Trail —

 
 
Christ Church and Its Parishioners Marker (east face) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Richard E. Miller, December 21, 2010
1. Christ Church and Its Parishioners Marker (east face)
Inscription.
This is Christ Church, Washington Parish, the first Episcopal church established in Washington City (1794), and attended by Presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Quincy Adams.

At first Christ Church met in a nearby tobacco warehouse. In 1806 parishioner William Prout donated this land to the congregation, and one year later a simple, two-story rectangular building went up, designed by Navy Yard contractor Robert Alexander. That structure still remains behind the church’s Gothic Revival façade, applied in 1849 along with a bell tower that would become a Union lookout during the Civil War.

In early years, Christ Church’s balconies seated slaves, choir members, and Marines who were marched over on Sunday mornings from the nearby Barracks. Marine Band Director John Philip Sousa and his family were members and neighbors.

As a boy Sousa walked to Eighth Street for music lessons. He apprenticed to the Marine Band at age 13, playing various instruments through two enlistments until age 30. After a few years spent composing and conducting, he returned in 1880 to lead the Marine Band until 1892. That year he resigned to form the Sousa Band, which toured the world and sealed his reputation. Today’s audiences continue to thrill to Sousa’s compositions, including The Stars and Stripes Forever, the
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official march of the United States.
 
Erected by Cultural Tourism DC. (Marker Number 12.)
 
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, MusicChurches & Religion. In addition, it is included in the Barracks Row Heritage Trail, the Former U.S. Presidents: #03 Thomas Jefferson, and the Former U.S. Presidents: #06 John Quincy Adams series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1806.
 
Location. 38° 52.872′ N, 76° 59.835′ W. Marker is in Southeast Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in Capitol Hill. Marker is at the intersection of G Street Southeast and F Street Terrace Southeast, on the right when traveling east on G Street Southeast. Marker is on the sidewalk, across G Street from the southeast corner of the church. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 635 G Street Southeast, Washington DC 20003, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. John Philip Sousa (within shouting distance of this marker); Christ Church (within shouting distance of this marker); In the Alley (within shouting distance of this marker); 545 Eighth Street, S.E. (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Life on the Park (about 700 feet away); A Neighborhood For Everyone
Christ Church and Its Parishioners Marker, reverse (west face) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Richard E. Miller, December 21, 2010
2. Christ Church and Its Parishioners Marker, reverse (west face)
Note map and description of the "Barracks Row" Heritage Trail beneath photo of the church's interior and the congregation's celebration of its 175th anniversary in 1969.
(about 700 feet away); Change and Renewal (about 800 feet away); Commerce and Community (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Southeast Washington.
 
More about this marker.
[Photo captions]:
An outdoor service, around 1920. The rectory to the left burned down in the 1930s. (Christ Church Archives.)

From 1795 until 1807, the church met in this log tobacco warehouse “fitted up as a church in the plainest and rudest manner” near New Jersey Avenue and D Street, SE. (Christ Church Archives.)

These workmen added the final story of the current church’s bell tower and front vestibule in 1891. (Christ Church Archives.)

John Philip Sousa was born in 1854 to Bavarian immigrant Maria Elisabeth Trinkhaus and Portuguese immigrant John Antonio Sousa, a Marine Bandsmen, above, in this house at 636 G Street, right. (Library of Congress.)

In 1872 Antonio Sousa consented to his son’s re-enlistment in the Marine. (Marine Corps Historical Center.)


[Photo on reverse]:
Parishioners in Federal-era costumes and Rev. David Dunning in a wig celebrate Christ Church’s 175th anniversary
Christ Church, Washington Parish image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Richard E. Miller, December 21, 2010
3. Christ Church, Washington Parish
viewed from near the "Christ Church and Its Parishioners" marker across G Street.
in 1969. (Christ Church Archives.)
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 22, 2010, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. This page has been viewed 895 times since then and 17 times this year. Last updated on March 7, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. Photos:   1, 2, 3. submitted on December 22, 2010, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
 
Editor’s want-list for this marker. A wide shot of the marker in context. • Can you help?

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Mar. 29, 2024