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The Frederick Douglass House

The area code for Washington, D.C., is 202.

Information Please
The National Park Service operates the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, located minutes from downtown D.C. at 1411 W Street, S.E., 426-5961. It's open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Hours are 9:00-5:00 in the spring and summer, 9:00-4:00 in fall and winter. From the Mall, travel south on 9th Street to I-395 north, exit onto I-295 south across the bridge, exit onto Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., turn left onto W Street, S.E., and proceed three blocks to the visitor center parking lot. Admission is $3.00, $1.50 for seniors and free for children age 6 and under; admission includes a small museum (with a short film and a bookstore) and a 30-minute guided tour of the house. Though the neighborhood is a little dicey, the Park Service keeps the grounds well maintained, and the parking lot and grounds are safe for visitors.

For a wealth of additional information on visiting Washington, contact the Washington, D.C. Convention and Visitors Association, 1212 New York Ave., N.W., Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005-3992, 789-7000, and ask for their visitor's guide. The web site is http://www.washington.org.



Lodging and Dining
Loews L'Enfant Plaza Hotel, 480 L'Enfant Plaza, S.W., 484-1000, off Independence Avenue, two traffic lights east of 14th Street, is one of many lodging options.

Aside from the usual array of fast-food eateries, good places to eat include Phillips at 900 Water Street, S.W., 488-8515, and Channel Inn, 650 Water Street, S.W., 554-2500. Both are along the water. Take 14th Street south toward Virginia and exit before crossing the 14th Street Bridge.

Other Places to See
Most people think of the Smithsonian Institution museums that line the Mall when they think of Washington, but there's more to the Smithsonian. Though its exhibit space is currently closed for renovations, the Smithsonian's Anacostia Museum at 1901 Fort Pl., S.E., 357-1300, focuses on the art, history, culture and contributions of African-Americans, particularly in the Carolinas, Georgia, Maryland, Virginia and D.C. Until its late-fall reopening, selected exhibits are at the Smithsonian's Arts and Industries building (next to the Smithsonian's "Castle" and across from the carousel on the Mall). The Smithsonian's web site is http://www.si.edu.

The Congressional Cemetery at 1801 E St., S.E., in Anacostia, 543-0539, has the graves of march composer John Philip Sousa, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and many other notables.