National Historic Sites · District of Columbia
Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
National Park Service source material · single source. Source dates and reuse information are available beside each field.
Check the official park website for current access, conditions and visitor information.
Introduction
Background: 1
Frederick Douglass spent his life fighting for justice and equality. Born into slavery in 1818, he escaped as a young man and became a leading voice in the abolitionist movement. People everywhere still find inspiration today in his tireless struggle, brilliant words, and inclusive vision of humanity. Douglass's legacy is preserved here at Cedar Hill, where he lived his last 17 years.
Geography
History and culture
Collections: 5
Frederick Douglass's library is a special place. Lit by three large windows, books on almost every imaginable subjects fill the many bookcases. Off to the side, a black iron stove promises cozy warmth on cold days. In the center of the room, a heavy wooden desk sits awaiting the author's next great sentence. Douglass was a true man of letters, and his ideas seem to fill the room. It is a place where, if you close your eyes and reach out your hands, it seems almost possible to touch the mind of Frederick Douglass.
A visit to Cedar Hill is a wonderful way to experience Douglass's ideas. However, a tour of the house doesn't allow for a close inspection of the titles in the library's bookcases.
Fortunately, we now have searchable lists of all the books and booklets in the National Park Service's collection. They may not be complete lists of all the reading material that Douglass ever owned, but we believe they cover the vast majority. Please contact us for more information about the books and booklets collection.
Preservation: 6
Cedar Hill has been saved through the foresight and dedication of various groups and individuals over many years. The historic house has operated as a museum for more than a century. It is through the determination of so many people that Cedar Hill is now a national historic site, where everybody can visit and be inspired by the legacy of Frederick Douglass . For a complete history of the preservation of Cedar Hill, click here . For a timeline, view below.
Places: 7
• The house was built between 1855 and 1859 for John Welsh Van Hook, an architect from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The house consisted of between 6 to 14 rooms.
• In 1854, Van Hook partnered with John Fox and John Dobler and formed the Union Land Association, whose offices were in the Van Hook home. These developers purchased 100 acres of farmland to form a new subdivision called Uniontown (today Anacostia).
People: 8
Born into slavery in 1818, Frederick Douglass escaped as a young man and became a leading voice in the abolitionist movement. For his entire life, he fought for equality and justice for all people.
Anna Murray was born free in Denton, Maryland, around 1813. As a young woman, she moved to Baltimore, where she met and helped a young man named Frederick Bailey escape from slavery in 1838. After Frederick escaped to New York City, Anna joined him there and they married. They decided to move to Massachusetts, where they adopted the last name "Douglass" and began their family. Anna supported Frederick's public career and participated in anti-slavery activities, even opening their home to fugitives on the Underground Railroad when they lived in Rochester, New York. She and Frederick remained married for 44 years until her death from a stroke in 1882.
Helen Pitts was born into an abolitionist family in Honeoye, New York, in 1838. She worked for racial equality and women's rights, eventually finding employment as a clerk in Frederick Douglass's office in the 1880s. Helen and Frederick married in 1884, after Anna's death. When Frederick died in 1895, Helen devoted herself to making Cedar Hill a memorial to his life and legacy. Before her death in 1903, she created the Frederick Douglass Memorial and Historical Association to carry on her preservation work .
History & Culture: 9
Frederick Douglass was a runaway slave, abolitionist, equal rights advocate, and statesman.
The site cares for thousands of original objects that belonged to the Douglasses.
The historic house and landscape have been protected for more than a hundred years.
Places to explore
Things to Do: 10
Every visit should begin at the visitor center. Talk to a ranger or volunteer at the information desk to get brochures, pick up tickets for a guided tour of the historic house, and find out what's happening in the park .
The 19-minute film "Fighter for Freedom: The Frederick Douglass Story" plays in the auditorium. Exhibits feature significant objects from the collection, a life-size statue of Frederick Douglass, and quotes from his speeches and writings .
The visitor center is built into the hillside at the intersection of W and 15th Streets SE. NPS / N. Johnson
Restored to its 1895 appearance, the house is furnished with original objects that belonged to Frederick Douglass. NPS / N. Johnson
Frederick Douglass had a spectacular view of the Washington, D.C., skyline that continues to impress visitors today. NPS / N. Johnson
The only way to get inside Frederick Douglass's home is to be on a guided tour. Rangers lead daily tours at scheduled times.
Find out about operating hours and seasons, fees and passes, and permits and reservations.
771-208-1499 This phone number is to the ranger offices at the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site.
Visitor information
Visitation
Sources & field notes
Source records (14)
Select a numbered reference to open a source card. Retrieval dates describe this edition’s source capture, rather than an independent verification or the date of the underlying information.
Background · Official park structured information. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored government work generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Youth Intern at the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site · NPS / Kelsey Graczyk. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Catalog image date
- 11/01/2023
- Source scope
- Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Public domain:Full Granting Rights
- Rights
- Public domain:Full Granting Rights
Designation · National Park System directory. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Factual reference data; source attribution retained.
State or territory · National Park System directory. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Factual reference data; source attribution retained.
Collections · Collections — National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Source page last updated
- July 27, 2022
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-authored U.S. government material is generally public domain; third-party content may have separate rights.
Preservation · Preservation — National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Source page last updated
- December 14, 2022
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-authored U.S. government material is generally public domain; third-party content may have separate rights.
Places · Places — National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Source page last updated
- March 27, 2021
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-authored U.S. government material is generally public domain; third-party content may have separate rights.
People · People — National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Source page last updated
- September 15, 2023
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-authored U.S. government material is generally public domain; third-party content may have separate rights.
History & Culture · National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-authored U.S. government material is generally public domain; third-party material may have separate rights. No images copied.
Things to Do · National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored U.S. government work is generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Physical Address · Official park structured information. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored government work generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Mailing Address · Official park structured information. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored government work generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Telephone · Official park structured information. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored government work generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Recreation visits · National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics. Open source ↗
- Information date
- 2025
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Methodology
- NPS reporting unit; annual total is the sum of 12 monthly recreation visit estimates.
- Reporting unit
- Frederick Douglass NHS
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Factual reference data; source attribution retained.