In celebration of our impending independence celebration, we’ve been visiting sites of historical importance. The Frederick Douglass Historic site in Anacostia was next.

I am not in any way, shape or form a lover of history. I know very little of my own Jamaican history yet here I am discovering. I’m even teaching the hubby a thing or two. That feels good 🙂

The home pictured above perched on a hill overlooking Washington, DC may not look like much now, but it was quite an estate when Frederick Douglass purchased the home in 1877.

Mr. Douglass, like so many in the 1800’s, was born into slavery but he did not let his predisposed conditions dictate his future. In fact, he became one of our country’s greatest advocates for freedom. He never had any formal schooling; he was self-taught. He traveled his country as well as Great Britain and Ireland, speaking about social injustice, giving hope to the hopeless, advocating for a world where we could all be free.

He held many titles, including DC’s U.S Marshall, Minister to Haiti and during the Civil War serving as adviser to President Lincoln and assisted with the Emancipation Proclamation.

After our tour concluded around 2 p.m we decided to visit the Kenilworth Aquatic Garden.

The garden was within five miles of Cedar Hill so I figured this would provide some relaxation and maybe the kids would actually take a nap.  We’ve been struggling with those lately as they are teething.  Anyway, walking along the pathway I was expecting a grandiose view at the end but was quickly disappointed.  I was greeted by a swampy terrain filled with lotus and water lilies and that was it.

I kept waiting for the scenery to improve and it did, but not by very much. There just isn’t much to see and with rain over the weekend a lot of the walkways connecting the gardens were flooded.  At one point we were stuck in the mud. It wouldn’t be an adventure with us if we didn’t get stuck somewhere, right?

I would not recommend a trip to the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens.  Perhaps my expectations were just too high but I was hoping for a lush garden with a lot more variety. We literally spent an hour before heading home so we could beat rush hour. Timing is everything in the DC/MD/VA metropolitan area.

Have you visited the garden? Is so, what were your thoughts?

The kids weren’t impressed at all.

~TOODLES~
Stacey