DC Preservation League

Heurich House Tour & Backyard Beer Garden
2025-08-13 17:30 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | Heurich House, 1307 New Hampshire Avenue NW
Join the DC Preservation League and the Heurich House Museum staff for a tour of this stunning Dupont Circle mansion. Built between 1892 and 1894 for successful German-American brewer Christian Heurich (1842-1945), the Heurich House is the city’s finest and best-preserved example of Richardsonian Romanesque residential architecture. It is among the nation’s most authentic period homes, providing a remarkably evocative sense of the Gilded Age lifestyle of an immigrant industrial entrepreneur. It is also one of the few buildings in DC with a designated historic interior. After taking a guided stroll through the building, head out to the backyard beer garden for a drink or two if you desire.

This event has a ticket cost of $10.00 per person for DCPL members, non-members $25.00. Space is limited for this tour, so sign up today by clicking here!

Discovering Deco DC Webinar
2025-09-09 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
This year marks the centennial of the 1925 Paris International Exposition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts that introduced Art Deco to the world. To help us recognize its significance, the DC Preservation League and the Art Deco Society of Washington are partnering once again to bring you two fun and educational events: a webinar and a walking tour. Both events will be led by ADSW President Steve Knight.
Art Deco can be found throughout Washington in a variety of building types, including apartments, commercial and federal buildings, as well as theaters, transportation facilities, and more. Steve’s well-illustrated talk will cover the origins and character defining features of Art Deco, one of the most comprehensive and preeminent aesthetics of the 20th century that touched everything from product design, graphic design, sculpture, film, fashion, home furnishings, and of course architecture. Steve will also highlight a handful of Art Deco preservation successes on which both ADSW and DCPL worked together.
REGISTER HERE

Art Deco in Downtown DC Walking Tour
2025-09-14 12:00 - 13:15
This year marks the centennial of the 1925 Paris International Exposition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts that introduced Art Deco to the world. To help us recognize its significance, the DC Preservation League and the Art Deco Society of Washington are partnering once again to bring you two fun and educational events: a webinar and a walking tour. Both events will be led by ADSW President Steve Knight.
The walking tour will highlight the architecture and decorative art of some of downtown Washington’s Art Deco treasures. The tour will cover approximately one mile and last about one hour. The tour will not end at the same place that it starts. Please wear comfortable walking shoes.
Where: Downtown DC, near Metro Center (specific meeting instructions will be sent in advance to all registrants)
This walking tour is $10 for DCPL and ADSW members, and $20 for non-members. If you are an ADSW member interested in registering, please email Kelli Knox at kelli@dcpreservation.org.
REGISTER HERE

Wikimedia Edit-a-thon: Art Deco DC
2025-09-15 13:00 - 16:00 | Zoom
Do you love Wikipedia? This is for you! During this online event, you can learn directly from DCPL’s friends at wikimedia DC how to edit and correct Wikipedia pages to improve public information. You’ll then help correct Wikipedia pages focused on DC’s Art Deco historic landmarks. The session will include both training and time for individual editing.
This event is free and open to the public. Please register online to attend.
Register Here

Crab Feast 11
2025-09-27 12:00 - 15:00 | Washington Canoe Club, 3700 Water St. NW, Washington, DC, 20007, United States
Join the DC Preservation League and the Capital Pride Alliance for their annual Crab Feast at the historic Washington Canoe Club, one of DC’s most picturesque locations on the banks of the beautiful Potomac River.
This event takes place entirely outdoors, with canoes and paddle boards available for adventures on the water.
Date & Time: Saturday, September 27th, 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm (Rain Date: October 11th)
Tickets: $85 for ages 13+; $25 for kids 12 and under. Includes: all-you-can eat crabs, shrimp, corn on the cob, hot dogs, and ice cream + beer, wine, soda, and water available. Limited seating available: Get your tickets now!
Cancellations/Refunds: Requests for refunds will only be considered more than 5 days prior to the event, and transaction fees will be subtracted from the refund total. Cancellations 5 days or less from the event will not be refunded, but the ticket cost can be converted to a tax-deductible donation. If you have any questions, please email Kelli Knox, kelli@dcpreservation.org.
REGISTER HERE

Member Only Walking Tour: Oak Hill and Mount Zion/Female Union Band Society Cemeteries
2025-10-04 10:00 - 12:00 | Oak Hill Cemetery, 3001 R Street NW, Washington, DC, 20007
Join the DC Preservation League for this first-of-its kind collaboration – Oak Hill Cemetery and Mount Zion/Female Union Band Society Cemetery have never hosted an in person tour event like this together!
Oak Hill Cemetery and the Mount Zion Cemetery (which includes the Female Union Band cemetery) are two historic, adjacent cemeteries in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC. Together, these two cemeteries tell a powerful story of racial inequality and segregation.
This tour will explore both cemeteries on foot, with leaders from each presenting on the history of the grounds, information on how the land was developed, and ongoing stewardship.
Please note the terrain for this tour can be steep and rocky and will certainly present challenges to those with mobility aids; long pants and long sleeve shirts recommended to avoid poison ivy, long grasses, and other invasives; and walking shoes and water recommended. If you have questions about accessibility, please email kelli@dcpreservation.org.
Tickets: You must be a current DCPL Member to attend this tour! DCPL Member tickets cost $35; new members will pay $55 to join DCPL and $35 for the event ticket.
**Please Note** DCPL members must be signed in to their DCPL online account in order to receive the member ticket price. If you have any trouble registering, email kelli@dcpreservation.org
REGISTER HERE

Preserving Latino Cultural Heritage Through Street Art
2025-10-09 18:00 - 20:00
Celebrating the Unity Mural and a Long DC Tradition of Latino Muralism
Join Hola Cultura and the DC Preservation League on Thursday, Oct. 9, at 6 p.m., for a community celebration of the Unity Mural and all of D.C.’s amazing Latine murals and their beautiful stories of community perseverance and resilience.
We’ll visit a local mural in Adams Morgan and then walk over to the Festival Center for a panel discussion and reception.
Event Details

Mural meet-up at 6 PM EST
2119 Champlain St NW, Washington, D.C. 20009
Panel discussion at 6:30 PM EST
Festival Center (1640 Columbia Road NW, Washington D.C. 20009)

REGISTER HERE

Distillery Tour & Meet Up: Cotton & Reed
2025-10-29 18:00 - 20:00 | Cotton & Reed Distillery, 1330 5th St NE
Join the DC Preservation League for a tour of Cotton & Reed Distillery, a beautiful example of adaptive reuse in DC’s Union Market Historic District! The last time DCPL toured this space was 2016 and much has changed since – come see for yourself!
Ticket includes distillery tour, rum taste test, and one cocktail.
Tickets for DCPL Members are $25 | Non-Member Tickets $35
Cancellations/Refunds: Requests for refunds will only be considered more than 5 days prior to the event, and transaction fees will be subtracted from the refund total. Cancellations 5 days or less from the event will not be refunded, but the ticket cost can be converted to a tax-deductible donation.
Questions? Email kelli@dcpreservation.org
REGISTER HERE

Ribbon Cutting Event: African American Civil War Memorial Museum
2025-11-10 11:00 - 13:00 | African American Civil War Memorial Museum, 1925 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20001, United States
Join the DC Preservation League in celebrating the reopening of the African American Civil War Memorial Museum at the historic Grimke School, which was recently rehabilitated. Attendees will also be able to see the new statue of Abraham Lincoln, which was recently dedicated. All events are coordinated by the Museum; no formal program will be offered by DCPL at this event.
Event Details

Webinar: St. Elizabeths Asylum, Civil War Care at the Government Hospital for the Insane
2025-11-12 12:00 - 13:30 | Zoom
Founded in 1852, St. Elizabeths was the nation’s first federally-funded psychiatric facility. The “Government Hospital for the Insane” in Washington, DC quickly transformed into a trauma center for wounded and convalescing soldiers when the Civil War broke-out a decade later. This lecture will analyze the reception of Union, Confederate, and African American troops, as well as their conditions upon admission. As the only federal mental health complex in the country during the Civil War, St. Elizabeths helped define treatment options for those afflicted with the modern diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Attendees will glimpse into the medical treatments of wartime Washington, connecting symptoms to battlefield experiences. Through an inclusion of primary sources and personal narratives, this lecture will explore the impact on psychiatric care in the postbellum years and reflect on the wave of mentally-ill veterans once the war concluded.
The lecture will be presented by Madeline Feierstein, an Alexandria, VA historian specializing in psychiatric institutions, hospitals, and prisons.
Free for DCPL Members; Non Members $5
**Please Note** DCPL members must be signed in to their DCPL online account in order to receive the member ticket price. If you have any trouble registering, email kelli@dcpreservation.org
Register Here

Private Tour: President Lincoln's Cottage
2025-11-22 12:00 - 13:30 | President Lincoln’s Cottage, 140 Rock Creek Church Road NW, Washington, DC, 20011, United States
Please join the DC Preservation League for a special preservation-focused tour of President Lincoln’s Cottage, led by Director of Preservation Jeffrey Larry. Mr. Larry has also agreed to showcase some of this favorite artifacts. Plenty of walking planned, so please wear appropriate clothing and shoes.
DCPL Member Tickets are $15 | Non-Member Tickets $25
Cancellations/Refunds: Requests for refunds will only be considered more than 5 days prior to the event, and transaction fees will be subtracted from the refund total. Cancellations 5 days or less from the event will not be refunded, but the ticket cost can be converted to a tax-deductible donation.
Register Here

Walking Tour: The Unique Architecture & Historical Figures of LeDroit Park
2025-12-06 11:00 - 12:30 | LeDroit Park Arch at 6th St & Florida Ave NW
LeDroit Park was developed in 1873 as an exclusive white “suburban” enclave. In this tour, explore unique architecture and the historical figures who transformed the neighborhood to the home of DC’s black intelligentsia. Neighborhood notables included Dr. Anna J. Cooper, Mayor Walter Washington, Sen. Edward Brooke, Rep. Oscar De Priest, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Mary Church Terrell, Duke Ellington, and Rev. Jesse Jackson. See unique 19th-century houses built in 12 distinct architectural styles.
This tour will be led by Eric Fidler, a former president of the LeDroit Park Civic Association who helped establish the LeDroit Park/Bloomingdale Heritage Trail historical markers that stand beside the sidewalks in both neighborhoods. The National Building Museum features Eric in a video on the history of LeDroit Park in the House & Home exhibit. He has lived in LeDroit Park for 16 years.
The tour will start and end at the LeDroit Park Arch at 6th St & Florida Ave NW.
DCPL Member Tickets are $15 | Non Member Tickets are $25
**Please Note** DCPL members must be signed in to their DCPL online account in order to receive the member ticket price. If you have any trouble registering, email kelli@dcpreservation.org
Register Here

Preservation Initiatives Grant Program Workshop #1
2025-12-10 18:00 - 19:00 | Zoom
This Grant Workshop will introduce participants to DCPL’s Preservation Initiatives (PI) Grant Program, which provides matching grants to individuals and non-profit organizations for preservation planning, research, outreach/education, and bricks and mortar projects related to historic and cultural sites. The workshop will give an overview of the program and application process. If you have any questions, please contact Zachary Burt (zach@dcpreservation.org). Additional information can be found at dcpreservation.org/grants

REGISTER HERE

Webinar: A Walk through River Terrace: Home, Community and Activism in a Northeast DC Waterside Neighborhood
2025-12-11 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom
River Terrace is a small, cul de sac community of about 2000 residents located on the bank of the Anacostia River in northeast Washington DC. First appearing on Captain John Smith’s 1612 map of the Chesapeake Bay, evidence of early Nacotchtank (Anacostan) American Indian settlement indicates that this part of the Anacostia River was a hive of trade and activity for thousands of years. Once predominantly rural, modern day River Terrace was laid out in 1937 as a whites-only community featuring a school, grocery store and church, with ‘Rustic English Village’ inspired brick row houses designed by renowned architect George T. Santmyers. River Terrace was one of the first neighborhoods in DC to desegregate in 1948 when restrictive covenants in house deeds were declared unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court, and since then has been home to many of the city’s Black luminaries, including environmental activist and author George Gurley, Tuskegee Airman Major L. Anderson II, and the first African American woman to serve on the Board of Governors of the Biological Photographic Association Luvenia C. Miller RBP. The River Terrace Community Organization, founded in 1950, is the longest running continually active community organization in the country. Join us for a virtual walk through River Terrace where we’ll introduce you to the people and places that make our community unique.
This webinar is presented by the River Terrace Community Organization’s Art, Culture and Events Committee.
REGISTER HERE
Image credits
Map: Image inset of Map of the District of Columbia, Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Washington, D.C. 20540-4650 USA dcu
Photos and certificate: Courtesy Deborah Grimstead

Walking Tour: Historic Mount Pleasant
2025-12-13 11:00 - 12:30 | 3047 15th St NW
The Mount Pleasant neighborhood of Washington, DC, along with nearby Adams Morgan and Columbia Heights, became the center of DC’s Latino community in the postwar era. In the 1940s, Puerto Ricans and Mexicans arrived in the capital to obtain work in the expanding federal bureaucracy. In the 1950s and 1960s, Latin American diplomats brought embassy staff to Adams Morgan, moving in alongside an influx of Dominicans and Cubans seeking economic opportunity and an escape from political conflict in their home countries. The growing Latin American community continued its expansion into Mount Pleasant and Columbia Heights through Salvadoran and Central American immigration in the 1970s and 1980s, as civil war and domestic unrest unfolded in various nations.
Through the National Park Service’s Underrepresented Communities Grant Fund, DCPL and the DC Historic Preservation Office collaborated on a historic context study, published in 2025, focused on DC’s Latino community. In addition to this study exploring the city’s Latino history, two properties associated with this history, Rosemount Center/House of Mercy and the Latin American Youth Center, were added to the National Register of Historic Place. This tour will visit these recently designated historic landmarks, as well as several locations in the Mount Pleasant Historic District.
This tour will start in front of the Next Step Public Charter School, 3047 15th St NW, and end at the Rosemount Center, 2000 Rosemount Avenue NW. The route is approximately 0.8 miles. The return route from Rosemount Center has a slight incline, so please plan accordingly.
DCPL Member Tickets are $15 | Non-Member Tickets $25
**Please Note** DCPL members must be signed in to their DCPL online account in order to receive the member ticket price. If you have any trouble registering, email kelli@dcpreservation.org
Cancellations/Refunds: Requests for refunds will only be considered more than 5 days prior to the event, and transaction fees will be subtracted from the refund total. Cancellations 5 days or less from the event will not be refunded, but the ticket cost can be converted to a tax-deductible donation.
REGISTER HERE

Preservation Initiatives Grant Program Workshop #2
2026-01-13 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom

Webinar: Historic Designation 101
2026-01-14 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom
Designating a historic site can be complex and overwhelming, as there are many aspects to consider when evaluating a site for historic designation. Luckily, there are plenty of useful resources that can help homeowners and other individuals interested in preservation.
This presentation, led by DCPL’s Community Outreach and Grants Manager Zach Burt, will provide attendees with an overview of Washington, DC’s historic landmark designation process, the DC Inventory of Historic Sites, and the National Register of Historic Places.
This webinar is free and open to the public; Zoom link will be shared closer to the date.
REGISTER HERE

Webinar: Overview of DC's Design Review Process
2026-01-21 19:00 - 20:15 | Zoom
Did you know that most projects in historic districts can be approved by Historic Preservation Office staff without going to a Historic Preservation Review Board meeting? In this virtual presentation, join DCPL and Todd Jones from DC’s Historic Preservation Office to learn how design review is conducted, the difference between concept and permit approvals, and when it’s necessary to go to the Board.
This webinar is free and open to the public; Zoom link will be shared closer to the event date.
REGISTER HERE

Webinar: Exploring Black Built Modernist Buildings Along Benning Road
2026-02-07 11:00 - 12:30 | Zoom
Please join the DC Preservation League for this online event exploring Black Built Modernist Buildings along Benning Road in Washington, DC. This webinar will be led by Imania Price, Historic Preservation Specialist at the DC Historic Preservation Office.
The webinar is free and open to the public; Zoom link will be sent once you register.
REGISTER HERE

Preservation Initiatives Grant Program Workshop #3
2026-02-11 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom

Site Tour: St. Augustine Church
2026-02-21 10:00 - 11:30 | St. Augustine Catholic Church, 1419 V St NW, Washington, DC, 20009, United States
Join the DC Preservation league for a guided tour of St. Augustine Church – home of the first Black Catholic parish in Washington, DC. The tour will be led by Dena Grant, a proud generational member of the church, archivist/historian, Girl Scout Troop Leader, and Youth Book Club/Podcast Organizer. She will share the history and resilience of the St. Augustine parish as they have journeyed and maintained ministry on 15th Street.
The original Saint Augustine no longer exists and attendees will be visiting the church/physical building that was once Saint Paul’s Church, but the spirit of St. Augustine’s founding and call to service still survives.
Dena will be accompanied by parishioner Sybil Williams, who is an African American genealogist.
This tour is $20 for anyone who would like to attend.
REGISTER HERE

Webinar: Black Architects in Washington, DC
2026-02-26 19:00 - 20:30
Join the DC Preservation League for a presentation that will highlight the consultants’ initial findings from the Black Architects in Washington, DC project. This event aims to offer insights and encourage discussion about the significant work being conducted in this area. It is a great opportunity to engage with the consultants regarding their findings and contribute to the ongoing conversation about the role of Black architects in our community.
About the Project:
Since before the establishment of the federal city in 1791, African Americans have played a significant role in shaping the built environment of Washington, DC. Free Black astronomer Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806) worked with surveyor Andrew Ellicott (1754-1820) to survey the boundaries of the ten-mile-square area that would become the District of Columbia, just as hundreds of skilled and unskilled enslaved persons were hired out by their enslavers to help build the US Capitol and the White House. After the Civil War, freed Blacks with carpentry, masonry, metalworking, and other building skills entered the building trades in significant numbers in the city. The increased population led to a major building boom. While many Blacks entered the design field through the building trades, they also approached the design world through various avenues, known and unknown.
According to the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, just 2% of licensed architects in the United States today are Black. That number amounts to approximately 2,600 out of 122,000 total. The profession has long been white-male-dominated, leaving the work of countless women, Blacks, and other racial minorities widely unrecognized. The roots of the Black architectural community are grounded within the District of Columbia, as Howard University was one of the first Historically Black Colleges and Universities to offer a four-year degree in architecture at a time when the country was still widely segregated. This program ultimately attracted students from across the country and established Howard as the principal training ground for Black architects in the 20th Century. Despite this connection, the works of Black architects in the city remain underrepresented in both the DC Inventory and the National Register.
This project will establish a historic context statement and identify a list of Black architects who had a significant impact on the built environment of Washington, DC. The project will also formally identify/document properties that represent the impact Black architects have had on DC’s built environment. The MPD will include one new nomination to the National Register and set the stage for nominating more properties to the DC Inventory and the National Register.
About the Team:
Jay Cephas, Director, Studio Plat, is an architectural historian with over 20 years of research experience, including more than a decade of dedicated research into the various roles played by Black people in shaping the built environment. He is currently writing a book about Black architects and builders in the nineteenth century.
Jeremy Lee Wolin, Research Assistant, Studio Plat, is a doctoral candidate in the PhD program in architectural history at Princeton University. His research concerns the role of Black architects in carrying out the federal Model Cities program in the 1970s.
Melvin Mitchell, CEO, Bryant Mitchell Consulting Architects, is an architect and writer who possesses deep and extensive knowledge about Black architects and buildings in Washington, DC. He is currently writing a book titled Building Washington, DC: The Role of Howard University and HBCU-Trained Architects, 1920-2020.
Michelle A. Jones is a documentary filmmaker and community preservation advocate. She was the driving force behind the creation and development of the 2012 documentary, Master Builders: African American Architects in the Nation’s Capital, which, for the first time, narrated on film a deep history of Black building practices in Washington, DC.
Acknowledgements:
This project is supported in part by an Underrepresented Communities Grant (URC) from the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior. The HPF has funded more than $2 billion since its inception in 1977 towards historic preservation grants. For more information about the URC grant program, please visit go.nps.gov/urc.
This project has received Federal financial assistance for the identification, protection, and/or rehabilitation of historic properties and cultural resources in the District of Columbia. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the US Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, or disability in its Federally assisted programs. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described above, or if you desire further information, please write to: Office of Equal Opportunity, US Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20240.
Click here to register!

Site Tour: Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument
2026-03-21 10:00 - 11:15 | Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument, 144 Constitution Avenue NE, Washington, DC, 20002, United States
This Women’s History Month, please join the DC Preservation League for a special tour of the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument located in Capitol Hill.
Home to the National Woman’s Party for more than 90 years, this space was the epicenter of the struggle for women’s rights. From this house in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court, Alice Paul and the NWP developed innovative strategies and tactics to advocate for the Equal Rights Amendment and equality for women. President Barack Obama designated the national monument on April 12, 2016.
The tour will include history of the house and its critical role in the fight for women’s rights, and details regarding the most recent renovation to the house that was completed in 2023. Funded through the Great American Outdoors Act, the work included replacement of the existing standing seam metal roof, rehabilitation of historic windows and doors; upgrades to the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems; structural and plaster repairs; and renovation of the Florence Bayard Hilles Feminist Library, including installation of a new fire sprinkler system.
Space is limited! Register today to secure your spot.
This event is free, but a $10 donation is suggested to support the DC Preservation League’s educational programming.
REGISTER HERE

Site Tour: DAR Memorial Continental Hall & Museum
2026-03-28 11:00 - 12:15 | DAR Museum, 1776 D Street NW, Washington, DC, 20006, United States
Please join the DC Preservation League for a special guided tour of The Daughters of the American Revolution Museum, located in DAR National Headquarters. This museum highlights the decorative arts and features 30+ period rooms that are designed to make you feel like you’re stepping into the past!
The Museum’s galleries and exhibits tell the story of the American home from the 1600s through the early 1900s. The collection features furniture, textiles, ceramics, paintings, and other household items. The museum was founded in 1890, as a department within the Daughters of the American Revolution to assist with the DAR’s missions of education and historic preservation.
Attendees will also learn about the recent renovations to both the interior and exterior of the building.
Space is limited; register now to secure your spot!
DCPL Member Tickets $15 | Non Member Tickets $20
REGISTER HERE

DCPL Member Meeting
2026-04-08 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
REGISTER HERE

Public Meeting: Brookland Public Education Project
2026-04-22 19:00 - 20:15 | Zoom
Please plan to join DCPL for this online event! Historic preservation consultant and architectural historian Heather McMahon will present her initial findings related to DCPL’s Brookland Community Public Education Project. Once completed, this project will provide important documentation of Brookland’s historic commercial corridor along 12th Street NE.
Brookland’s 12th Street NE commercial corridor largely developed in the second quarter of the 20th century, and the two-block study area between Otis and Monroe streets is lined with small-scale, vernacular commercial buildings and rowhouses. Since 2019, several older buildings have been lost to mid-rise, residential, infill development, and the entire corridor is prime for redevelopment. This documentation, which highlights small and legacy businesses along Brookland’s 12th Street, is partly informed by oral histories, and will highlight the important overlap between historic preservation and public history. Once the project is completed during summer 2026, this information, including oral histories, will be available to the public via an ArcGIS Story Map.
Following the presentation, Heather will answer questions and ask for feedback on the project. This project is part of a Section 106 review process and a resulting memorandum of agreement from December 2024. If you have questions related to the Section 106 process, please contact Zachary Burt (zach@dcpreservation.org).
This event is free and open to the public!
REGISTER HERE

Walking Tour: Legacy Businesses of DC's Chinatown
2026-04-25 13:00 - 14:30 | Chinatown DC
Let’s talk about landmarks and family-owned legacy businesses! Join the DC Preservation League and Save Chinatown Solidarity Network for a tour of DC’s Chinatown.
This tour will visit small businesses, serving the District with fresh noodles, authentic traditional Chinese medicine, and staple produce and goods. Hear directly from the community, learn their history, and find ways to support the neighborhood’s preservation in this guided tour.
This tour is $15 for anyone who would like to attend.
REGISTER HERE

2026 Historic Preservation 101/201 Seminar for Realtors & Appraisers
2026-05-08 09:00 - 12:00 | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW, Washington, DC, 20001
DC Real Estate Agents and Appraisers can earn three continuing education credits in one of these free, three-hour, in-person courses focused on historic preservation in the District of Columbia.
**Please note these courses run at the same time and you may only register for one.**
Join DCPL at the MLK Jr. Memorial Library (901 G Street NW) on Friday, May 8th from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. HP 101 will provide an overview of historic preservation and architectural styles in the District. HP 201 will explore related topics, like the benefits of designating a property and how to do so.
Please note all participants are required to take 101 before 201.
Free to all!
REGISTER HERE
Contact Kelli at the DC Preservation League with any questions: kelli@dcpreservation.org | (202) 783-5144

Panel: Yes, In Your Backyard: How Accessory Dwelling Units are Compatible in Historic Districts
2026-05-19 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom
A virtual presentation hosted by the Cleveland Park Historical Society and DC Preservation League
Join us for a Zoom presentation exploring how Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), including basement apartments, backyard cottages, and garage conversions, can be thoughtfully integrated into historic districts. This program will focus on the idea that preservation and change can work together to support a more inclusive and sustainable city.
Architect Ileana Schinder will begin by defining what qualifies as an ADU and explaining the different types homeowners might consider. Drawing on her expertise navigating zoning and working with the Historic Preservation Office (HPO), she will walk through the process of designing and gaining approval for ADUs.
Todd Jones of the Historic Preservation Office at the DC Office of Planning will provide an overview of the common ways that ADUs appear in historic districts, how preservation guidelines apply, and how HPO evaluates proposals to ensure compatibility with existing historic resources.
Whether you’re a homeowner considering an ADU, a preservation advocate, or interested in how DC can grow thoughtfully, this conversation will offer valuable guidance and a fresh perspective on how we can say “yes” to both history and housing.
REGISTER HERE

Ileana Schinder is an architect in Washington, DC. She graduated with a Bachelor’s in Architecture from Universidad Nacional de Cordoba (Argentina, 2000) and an M.A. in Communications from the American University (Washington DC, 2006).
Inspired to become an architect at the age of four by playing with Legos on the floor, she remains motivated to design houses of all sizes 40 years later. Since opening her architecture studio in 2014, with creativity and innovation, she has designed additional dwelling units that create new spaces for clients and their families to thrive.
As part of her efforts to educate the public on housing issues, Ileana has also written in blogs and held sessions to inspire and promote innovative models of home. Ileana is the author of “Housing for Humans: A Book to Imagine, Create and Design a New Housing Model in America” (Panoma Press, 2021).
Ileana was born and raised in Argentina. She lives in Washington, DC, with her family and her dog, Colette.

Todd Jones has worked at the DC Historic Preservation Office since 2020, where he has conducted project reviews, historical research, and preservation planning. He previously worked as a historical researcher and as a Historic Preservation Specialist with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the New England region. He is originally from Connecticut and earned a master’s degree in public history from Central Connecticut State University.

Public Meeting: Housing Black Washington Multiple Property Document
2026-05-21 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom
Please join the DC Historic Preservation Office, the DC Preservation League, and Architectural Historian Heather McMahon for this public presentation about the Housing Black Washington Multiple Property Document. This project is funded by an Underrepresented Communities Grant from the National Park Service.
This study looks closely at the places Black Washingtonians have called home over time. It especially explores housing considered “affordable,” meaning it was intended for working-class residents, since African Americans have always made up a significant portion of the District of Columbia’s working class since racial restrictions kept many in lower-wage, blue-collar or service-sector jobs. Since the District of Columbia’s founding, housing for African Americans had often been relegated to rear yards, back alleys, isolated neighborhoods, and undesirable locations. Their homes were hidden although their work was salient: Black Washingtonians helped build the White House, the U.S. Capitol, Washington’s grand avenues, and national monuments.
This meeting is free to attend!
REGISTER HERE
