Capitol Hill History Project Launches Publishing Venture by Rosemary Berkley Freeman tures more than two years ago that Mary Z. Gray held a delighted audience spellbound as she read excerpts from her bookin-progress. Her stories included hilarious scenes from her childhood and the exploits of four generations of forebears, all of whom had lived within ten blocks of the Capitol. But finding a major publisher for 301 East Capitol proved to be an Mary Z. Gray author of 301 East Capitol, a memoir of early Capitol Hill life insurmountable challenge published by the Overbeck History Press for Gray. Eventually, Overbeck Project founden years ago, the Capitol Hill Coming chairman John Franmunity Foundation established the zén, who was strongly convinced of the value Ruth Ann Overbeck Capitol Hill of the book, decided to create the Overbeck History Project, aiming to create a richly History Press in order to publish it, and postextured history of everyday life in the com- sibly other books in the future. munity. The project enlisted a corps of volun“In a way, we’ve been publishing all teers and began recording and archiving oral along,” Franzén says of the organization, histories from longtime local residents. whose website features the transcripts of And this month the group is celebrating dozens of oral histories. “So creating the its ten-year milestone by launching a new Overbeck History Press seemed like a logipublishing venture, the Overbeck History cal next step.” Press, and releasing its first book, 301 East The publishing world has radically Capitol: Tales From the Heart of the Hill by changed since Gray’s previous book, Ah, Mary Z. Gray. Bewilderness!, was published in 1984, FranGray was a regular contributor to The zén notes. “Today, none of these companies Washington Post, The New York Times and wants your memories and musings unless other papers for half a century, but during her you’re a celebrity or a criminal.” He persuad1920s childhood she lived above her family’s ed Gray to publish through the Overbeck inherited funeral home two blocks from the Press, which is using a print-on-demand U.S. Capitol. Her book, which paints unfor- service affiliated with Amazon.com. gettable scenes of the neighborhood in that Over the past three years, Franzén has era, is the product of four years of effort, aided become Gray’s close friend and de facto and encouraged by Overbeck volunteers. editor. He calls her book “a meditation on The move into publishing is a natural the quirky connections between people and outgrowth of the Overbeck Project’s mission. events over time.” Named for local historian and preservationThe Overbeck Press is sponsoring a book ist Ruth Ann Overbeck, the organization set signing for Gray on Sunday, February 12, at out to create “a permanent, accessible, ongo- 2 p.m. at the Hill Center at 9th and Penning record” of the people and events that have sylvania S.E. Those in attendance are likely shaped the community. Under the direction to learn why Cul de Sac cartoonist Richard of project manager Bernadette McMahon, Thompson calls Gray “one of the funniest rathe group has collected well over a hundred conteurs I know.” oral histories, mostly from older Hill resi301 East Capitol: Tales From the Heart dents, and made them available in transcript of the Hill will be available in printed and form on its website, CapitolHillHistory.org. downloadable form at Amazon.com and at The group also runs a highly successful local bookstores. For more information go to lecture series that delves into Capitol Hill OverbeckPress.org. ★ and DC history. It was at one of those lec-
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