Capital Region USA presents a wealth of options for avid readers to experience a literary holiday of a lifetime.
The region, made up of Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia, has been home to some of the greatest names in literature, from abolitionist and statesman Frederick Douglass penning three autobiographies, to Roald Dahl beginning his writing career during World War II.
Capital Region USA presents a packed literary scene that includes sites of famous novels, book-inspired hotels, magnificent libraries and much more.
Explore the neighbourhoods of Washington, DC where Roald Dahl wrote his first novel:
Georgetown, Washington, DC, commonly known for its federal-style architecture, cobblestone streets and design shops, was home to Roald Dahl during World War II. Here is where he began his writing career, focusing on the war-struck world. He penned his first novel, “The Gremlins”, describing mythical creatures sabotaging aircrafts from a small house in Georgetown. Near The Mayflower Hotel, Dahl met with C.S. Forester, for a conversation which is largely considered as the moment that changed his life. Visitors can stop in a nearby café or stay in one of the luxury rooms at The Mayflower Hotel and bask in the city that holds large significance in Dahl’s personal and professional life.
Just across the Potomac River in Southeast DC, visitors will find the Chestnut Ward, a building that housed a major figure of the early modernist poetry movement, Ezra Pound. Here they can sympathise with the poet, who was awarded the Bollingen Prize for poetry in 1948 while committed. While confined, Pound composed extracts of his life’s project, ‘The Cantos’, making Washington, DC and his confinement a key part of understanding his writing.
For more information visit: https://washington.org/
Discover the buildings of Virginia that inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald:
Holidaying in Virginia Beach provides an environment of relaxation and one that multiple authors took inspiration from. F. Scott Fitzgerald regularly felt the pull of Virginia, swimming laps in the filtered saltwater plunge pool of The Cavalier Virginia Beach, Autograph Collection. Locals commonly tell the story that Fitzgerald was inspired to write ‘The Great Gatsby’ in this hotel. The Cavalier has recently been updated with 21st Century luxuries as well as offering many of the same amenities enjoyed by the likes of Fitzgerald. Visitors are invited to enter through the grand lobby and spend the nights dancing and drinking in the crystal ballroom. F. Scott Fitzgerald lived his life holidaying in Virginia but in death he was buried in Maryland. In Rockville, within a small Catholic cemetery, visitors will find Fitzgerald’s eternal resting place, within the family plot alongside his wife Zelda.
Virginia is also home to the Blue Ridge Mountains that offer views of the beautiful and iconic American landscape. Along the country roads, visitors will find the home of author, screen writer and producer Earl Hamner Jr – best known for The Homecoming & Lassie, a Christmas Story while also screenwriting The Waltons, Twilight Zone and Falcon Crest. The Hamners bought their home, situated in Schuyler Virginia, in 1929 and this is where his dreams of writing the next great American novel were rooted. His family home now acts as a museum for visitors to be transported back in time with models from ‘The Waltons’ Hollywood set and antiques from the Hamner’s own collection.
For more information visit: https://www.virginia.org/
Learn about the literary history of Maryland through the lives of Frederick Douglass and Edgar Allan Poe:
Well known for its bustling harbour and rich history, Edgar Allen Poe claimed Baltimore as his home, and it is also here that he remains into eternity. Enter Poe’s macabre world with a visit to Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum, tour Westminster Hall & Burying Ground where the mysterious Poe Toaster pays homage to the author on his birthday with cognac and three roses, or attend the annual International Edgar Allan Poe Festival & Awards held in October. For another Poe-inspired activity, catch a Baltimore Ravens football game at M&T Bank Stadium. The Baltimore Ravens are named after one of Poe’s most famous poems, “The Raven” with the mascots also being named Edgar, Allan, and Poe. After a jam-packed day visitors can enjoy refreshments in what is believed to be one of Poe’s last stops before death, The Horse You Came In On Saloon. Visitors wishing to continue exploring Edgar Allan Poe’s life will find parts of his history spread across Capital Region USA. Head to Richmond, Virginia where he lived for many years and visit The Poe Museum which serves to commemorate his time living in Richmond. While in Washington, DC, visitors can discover the many tales detailing Poe’s drunken encounter with President Tyler at the White House.
Frederick Douglass, an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman, was a proud Marylander, commonly regarding himself as “an Eastern Shoreman” and announcing, “I love Maryland and the Eastern Shore.” His impact is still apparent today, with Maryland offering multiple experiences to acknowledge his life. Discover Frederick Douglass in the places that shaped his character on a driving tour that starts on the Eastern Shore and takes visitors through Annapolis, Baltimore and near the nation’s capital. Visitors looking for a calming atmosphere can take themselves to The Frederick Douglass Park on the Tuckahoe, located upstream from the farm where Douglass was born.
For more information visit: https://www.visitmaryland.org/
The Libraries of Capital Region USA:
Alongside famous authors, Capital Region USA is home to a vast number of outstanding libraries.
Washington:
The Library of Congress, Washington, DC, spread across three buildings on Capitol Hill, houses more than 164 million items. Not only can guests get their literary fix, but they are invited to indulge in the historic exhibitions hosted inside the Thomas Jefferson Building. Here the literature isn’t the only aspect that captures the attention of visitors, the buildings themselves act as works of art and boast extraordinary architecture.
Baltimore, Maryland:
The George Peabody Library, Baltimore, is connected to Johns Hopkins University, and focuses on research into the 19th Century. Formerly the Library of the Peabody Institute of the City of Baltimore, the library’s collection dates back to 1857. The library contains 300,000 volumes, spread over six floors. On regular days visitors can spend hours searching through their extensive collection, but for those true bookworms the library doubles as a wedding venue.
Richmond, Virginia:
The Library of Virginia, one of the oldest state libraries and archives in the nation, will mark its bicentennial in 2023 with a free exhibition – 200 Years, 200 Stories – running Jan. 24, 2023-Oct. 28. The exhibition and multimedia experience celebrate 200 Virginians whose fascinating narratives are housed in The Library’s collections and together reflect the stories of Virginia. The exhibition is one of several key events and initiatives planned to celebrate The Library’s bicentennial.
New and upcoming literary experiences around the region:
Virginia Festival of the Book:
Virginia Festival of the Book offers visitors a place to congregate with like-minded individuals and meet authors and readers to celebrate their love of books. The festival prides itself on accessibility and diversity, and selects festival speakers through active recruitment each year.
The Library of Congress National Book Festival in Washington:
Visitors planning their trip to the region in August this year can enjoy Washington DC’s National Book Festival. This festival offers talks from authors, panel discussions and book signings. Visitors can even catch a glimpse of Michelle Obama who has been serving as an honorary co-chair since 2009.
Book themed restaurants and hotels in Baltimore:
Visitors looking to delve into the food and drink scene of the Capital Region can do so by visiting The Bluebird Cocktail Room in Hampden. This literary-themed bar offers cocktails named after the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Virginia Woolf, as well as common folk tales such as the “Hansel and Gretel” and “The Juniper Tree”. Visitors with more of a sweet tooth are also catered for at The Charmery, a handmade ice cream shop, which offers an Edgar Allan Poe-inspired flavour ‘Tell Tale Chocolate’.
After a day of exploring Baltimore, travellers can rest their heads in the newly opened Ulysses hotel. Offering a dive into the uncanny, this is a spot made for literary lovers, with the design offering to captivate visitors in its story.
