The Dead Tell the Best Stories

When traveling many people enjoy visiting local museums, we on the other hand visit local dog parks.  Dog parks are the first place we look for when arriving at a new destination. There is an app for everything, and BringFido is great for locating dog friendly places, including restaurants and hotels, in addition to dog parks.

In Washington, D.C. our favorite dog park is Congressional Cemetery, located at E Street and Potomac Ave, SE. The Cemetery is 35 fenced acres for dogs to run off leash and visit the over 67,000 residents.  The first burial was  in 1807.  Notable residents are J. Edgar Hoover, John Philip Sousa, the 21 bodies of woman who perished at the Arsenal Gate Ammunition explosion of 1864.  Former Mayor Marion Berry took up residence a few years ago, and burials continue to this day.

Neighbors who had been bringing their dogs to the cemetery for years formed the K-9 Corps in 2007 with a board of directors andmembership fees. The revenue from the K-9 Corps brings in a third of the overall budget for the Cemetery, and dog owners are encouraged to volunteer at the many dog and non-dog events throughout the year.  I volunteered at the annual Day of the Dog, and in 2015 was a ticket taker for the goats that came to eat the poison oak and other invasive brush on the other side of the fence.  You wouldn’t believe the crowds of parents and kids that came to see the kid goats.  The cemetery goats got great press from the Washington Post, CNN and NPR.  

Summer months the cemetery offers free tours on Saturdays at 11:00 a.m.  Liz Ruskin has created an amazing walking tour, so bring your headphones and take the IZI tour, The Dead Tell the Best Stories.

Maggie, BBF Lola, and I love the cemetery.  We try to go everyday when we are visiting our former home, Washington, D.C.  I hope you visit when you come to D.C., even if you don’t have a dog.

About Alison Reardon

Working hard on retirement and my golf game.
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One Response to The Dead Tell the Best Stories

  1. Margy King says:

    Hi Allison, Many thanks for taking readers along with you on your journey. This is well written and fun to readl Please keep writing! warmly, Margy K.

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