D& E special
Ghosts of Capitol Hill
Don’t Listen To Your Parents, They’re Real!
T
by Tim Krepp
here are many reasons to be excited by the return of fall to Capitol Hill. Cool, crisp weather is giving us a welcome break from oppressive summer heat. Kids are (for now) eagerly returning to school and parents are perhaps even more eagerly sending them off. But surely one of the best things about fall is that we can seriously begin preparing for what may be the greatest holiday of the year: Halloween! And what would the Halloween season be without ghosts? So gather round kiddos (adults feel free to listen in as well), while I share some tales of Capitol Hill haunts.
Haunted Treasure
We’ll start with one of the oldest institutions on the Hill, the Marine Barracks at 8th and I SE. Sure, you’ve seen the Marines, but did you know the Barracks is completely and thoroughly haunted? And not just haunted, but home to buried treasure? It all starts way back in 1814, almost two hundred years ago during the War of 1812. The British had landed in Maryland, intent on burning Washington, and were marching towards the city. Local militia hurriedly prepared to defend the nation’s capital in Bladensburg, Md, just outside the District. Among the local forces were nearly 500 sailors and Marines from the Navy Yard who hastened to the area. Among them were two Sergeants who had been ordered to stay behind at the Barracks. Back then, the sailors and Marines were paid in silver coins and the pay was held in a thick, wooden chest until payday. The Sergeants were told to guard the coins and being good Marines, at first they did as they were ordered, but they 92 H HillRag | October 2012
The Parade Deck of the Marine Barracks (seen here in 1917) may be home to buried treasure. But don’t expect the ghosts to help you find it! Courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
couldn’t quite handle the idea of missing the fight. They hid the chest somewhere in the Marine Barracks and joined their comrades in Bladensburg, where both were killed in
the battle. Of course, with the British burning the Capitol and White House, no one really cared about the lost money at first, but years later, people began
Stuart-Hobson Middle School is one of Capitol Hill’s many historic schools. But is it haunted? Photo: Tim Krepp
reporting the two Marine Sergeants were still guarding the lost money at the Barracks. At first, young Marines thought these ghostly specters were leading them to the treasure, but eventually it became apparent they were leading them on wild goose chases. The Sergeants are still following their orders, guarding the payroll even after death. Which isn’t to say that some haven’t tried finding the money. In the 1930s, the granddaughters of the current Marine Commandant were staying at the Barracks. They heard the story, and decided to sneak out at night and find the treasure. Their grandfather and other Marines were in for a bit of a shock the next morning; when they discovered the parade ground had been dug up by the young ladies!
A Single White Pearl
Leaving the Barracks, we’ll go a few blocks over to the oldest house on Capitol Hill, the Maples. On the 600 block of South Carolina Ave, SE, the Maples is currently empty as it awaits being turned into new homes. It certainly looks haunted, and it may very well still be, but its best known ghost left years ago in a dramatic fashion. Our story starts with Major Augustus Nicholson and his family moving to the house in the early 1800s. The Nicholsons were a large and unhappy family. His wife Helene suspected the Major was unfaithful, and shortly after the birth of their 11th child, she tragically took her own life. The Major maintained his innocence, but it is hard to believe him when he married the supposed object of his affections only six months after his wife’s death.