Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site, National Historic Site in Washington, D.C., United States
The Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site is a protected area in Washington, D.C., covering the famous avenue that runs between the Capitol and the White House. The wide boulevard is lined with historic government buildings, open plazas, and memorials that form the core of the city's federal district.
Pierre Charles L'Enfant laid out the avenue in 1791 as a central link between the seat of Congress and the president's residence in the new capital. Over the following century and a half, the street went through several phases of growth and renewal before being formally designated a National Historic Site in 1966.
Pennsylvania Avenue has long been the route where presidents travel in a procession from the Capitol to the White House after being sworn in. This tradition gives the boulevard a special role in the country's political life that visitors can sense on any given walk.
The avenue has wide sidewalks that are easy to walk along and accessible for wheelchairs and strollers, making it straightforward to explore from one end to the other on foot. Visiting on a weekday tends to mean fewer crowds, giving a clearer view of the buildings and open spaces along the route.
The stretch near the White House was once nicknamed 'Murder Bay' in the 19th century, when it was known for crime and rough establishments. That past is hard to imagine today walking past the open plazas and federal buildings that now line the same ground.
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