Madams of DC

Explore the History of DC's Civil War-era Red Light District

Washington experienced an unprecedented rise in prostitution during and after the Civil War. During this period, Pennsylvania Avenue became DC's most notorious red-light district, from the ramshackle "boarding houses" of Murder Bay to the glamorous pleasure houses of Marble Alley, all ...

Washington
2 hours
Walking Tour
Off the Mall Walking Tours
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The Harlem Renaissance in DC

All ages - 2 hours - Discover the Jazz and Literary History of DC!

Come on a winding journey through an era in which the U Street neighborhood of Washington, DC was giving rise to a vibrant jazz scene and establishing the roots of a new movement in black intellectualism. Also known as "Black Broadway", the U Street corridor was where the big names in jazz ...

Washington
2 Hours
Kid-Friendly
Off the Mall Walking Tours
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History of Black Georgetown

All Ages • 2.5 Hours • History of Black Georgetown!

Before it was a part of Washington, DC, Georgetown was an independent, bustling port city that boasted thriving trades in many goods, including enslaved people. Post Emancipation, African Americans counted for as much as 30% of the Georgetown population. Descendants of enslaved peoples and free black ...

Washington
2.5 Hours
Off the Mall Walking Tours
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Historic Alleyways

All Ages • 1.5 Hours • Historic Alleyways!

The alleyways of DC served a distinct purpose as a city planning feature, but they also provided a hidden safe space where escaped enslaved people and the economically disadvantaged could find inexpensive housing and live their lives away from prying eyes. While city officials condemned life in the alleyways ...

Washington
1.5 Hours
Kid-Friendly
Off the Mall Walking Tours
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District of Punk

For all ages! • 2.5 hours • District of Punk!

In the 1980s, the Reagan Administration was reinstating the Selective Service, hippies were turning into yuppies, and the punk scene rose as a reaction to what they saw as a conformist, soulless government. While punk is often associated with London, New York, and LA, there was a substantial scene in ...

Ardmore
1.5 hours
Kid-Friendly
Off the Mall Walking Tours
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History of Jewish Washington

All Ages • 2 Hours • Mall Beyond the Museums!

Join guest guide Ami Greener on a fascinating walking tour about notable Jewish people in DC history. This tour goes through the Gallery Place and Judiciary Square neighborhoods, highlighting the stories of Jewish-American Washingtonians who made their mark. Learn the answers to questions such as, why ...

Washington
2 Hours
Off the Mall Walking Tours
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Queer Black Broadway

For all ages! • 1.5 hours • Queer Black Broadway!

Off the Mall Tours and the Rainbow History Project are offering this amazing tour in partnership! The U Street Corridor was known as "Black Broadway" in its heyday of the early 20th Century. From the Prohibition Era to the Civil Rights Movement, it was also the center for social justice and ...

Washington
1.5 Hours
LGBTQ-Friendly
Walking Tour
Off the Mall Walking Tours
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Socialites and Spies of Georgetown

For all ages! • 2.5 hours • Socialites and Spies of Georgetown

An ill-fated artist, an Ambassador's wife, a Baroness, and a codebreaker.....What do they all have in common? They were part of the most exclusive club of power-players in Cold War DC. These amazing women made their mark in a man's world using every tool at their disposal. This tour will take ...

Washington
2 Hours
Kid-Friendly
Walking Tour
Off the Mall Walking Tours
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Gift Card

An ill-fated artist, an Ambassador's wife, a Baroness, and a codebreaker.....What do they all have in common? They were part of the most exclusive club of power-players in Cold War DC. These amazing women made their mark in a man's world using every tool at their disposal. This tour will take ...

Washington
Gift Card
Off the Mall Walking Tours
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Echoes of Navy Yard

Explore DC's oldest and most rapidly changing neighborhoods on this two-hour walking tour.

The Navy Yard is DC’s oldest neighborhood, and was also one of the largest sources of employment, the entry point into the capital, the final destination of DC’s first mass transit system, and much more. The tour will give you the history behind Canal Park, the oldest African church in DC, the Capital ...

Washington
2 hours
Kid-Friendly
Off the Mall Walking Tours
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Brookland: Idyllic and Ideal

Explore this history-rich neighborhood in DC's Northeast quadrant.

This 2-hour tour wanders through the historic Brookland neighborhood, also known as "little Rome" due to its plethora of Catholic institutions. It also was home to several influential African Americans in the mid-1900s.

Washington
2 hours
Kid-Friendly
Off the Mall Walking Tours
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The Mall Beyond the Museums

Learn the history of the National Mall beyond the museums and monuments.

The National Mall is known for museums, monuments, and memory on a national scale. However, the "People's Park" contains a history that goes well beyond these massive edifices. Explore a different side of the National Mall while viewing the major sites. Tour begins next to the National ...

Washington
2 hours
Kid-Friendly
Off the Mall Walking Tours
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