Local Historical Sites
Marymount University takes pride in being located so close to the nation’s capital, Washington D.C. Our location allows students to easily venture out and explore the city, whether they want to go into Georgetown and grab a batch of cupcakes, or go walking around the monuments and memorials.
The History department strongly encourages students to also visit the historical sites nearby! It is such an advantage to have D.C as our very own backyard. Below are a number of sites within a half hour of Marymount, ranging from the well-known to smaller gems.
Arlington National Cemetery
Description: Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 400,000 active duty service members, veterans and their families. Service to country is the common thread that binds all who are remembered and honored at Arlington.
Contact Info: 877-907-8585 & https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/
Directions: 13 minutes from Marymount
Tudor Place
Description: Completed in 1816, lived in by six generations of a single family, and opened to the public in 1988, Tudor Place Historic House & Garden preserves, interprets, and shares with the public and scholars the rich resources of its architecture, history, collections, and archive.
Contact Info: (202) 965-0400 & https://www.tudorplace.org/
Directions: 18 minutes from Marymount
George Washington’s Mount Vernon
Description: The estate, gardens, and farm of Mount Vernon totaled some 8,000 acres in the 18th century. Presently, an estimated 500 acres of this historic property have been painstakingly preserved along the banks of the Potomac River.
Guests visiting the estate can view Washington’s Mansion and many other original structures. The historic footprint also includes the tomb of George and Martha Washington and a memorial dedicated to the enslaved people who lived and worked on the estate. Interpretive spaces such as the Pioneer Farm and George Washington’s Gristmill & Distillery provide a rich understanding of Washington’s enterprising and profitable business ventures.
Contact Info: (703) 780-2000 & https://www.mountvernon.org/
Directions: 40 minutes from Marymount
Ford’s Theatre
Description: During the Civil War, Ford’s Theatre was one of Washington’s top entertainment venues, giving Washingtonians a much-needed break from the realities of war. President Lincoln, who loved theatre, opera and Shakespeare, visited Ford’s Theatre on at least 10 formal occasions.
On April 14, 1865, Lincoln and his wife decided to visit the theatre to see the comedy Our American Cousin. John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer, snuck into the President’s Box and shot Lincoln with a single-shot Deringer pistol.
Contact Info: (202) 347-4833 & https://www.fords.org
Directions: 22 minutes from Marymount
Hume School
Description: “The Arlington Historical Museum, owned and operated by the Historical Society, is located at 1805 South Arlington Ridge Road, close to the Pentagon City and Crystal City metrorail stations. The two-story brick structure was built in 1891 as the Hume School, named for Frank Hume who gave some of the property for the school. It is the oldest school building in Arlington County.”
Contact Info: 703-892-4204 & https://arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org
Directions: 15 minutes from Marymount
