Visitors take photos in front of a historic house
Rangers guide daily tours of the historic house at scheduled times. NPS Photo / Nate Johnson

Frederick Douglass National Historic Site

National Historic Site · District of Columbia · National Park Service

Frederick Douglass spent his life fighting for justice and equality. Born into slavery in 1818, he escaped as a young man and became a leading voice in the abolitionist movement. People everywhere still find inspiration today in his tireless struggle, brilliant words, and inclusive vision of humanity. Douglass's legacy is preserved here at Cedar Hill, where he lived his last 17 years.

Plan your visit

Know before you go

Phone
771-208-1499
Official site
www.nps.gov
Managed by
National Park Service

Getting there

Directions on Google Maps →

What's here

Highlights: African American Heritage · Enslavement · Incarceration · Reconstruction · Social Movements · Abolition Movement · Civil Rights · Voting Rights and Suffrage · Wars and Conflicts · Civil War

Activities & features: Guided Tours · Self-Guided Tours - Walking · Junior Ranger Program · Park Film · Museum Exhibits · Shopping · Bookstore and Park Store

Photos

  • A tiny stone cabin surrounded by fall foliage
    NPS Photo / Nate Johnson
  • View of downtown Washington, D.C., including the Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol
    NPS Photo / Nate Johnson
  • A plaster bust of Frederick Douglass
    NPS Photo / Nate Johnson
  • A park ranger gestures to a group of people outside the Frederick Douglass home.
    NPS / Rachel Hendrix

Nearby parks

Parks of District of Columbia

African American Civil War MemorialWashington MonumentRock Creek ParkFranklin Delano Roosevelt MemorialCivil War Defenses of WashingtonWorld War I MemorialTheodore Roosevelt IslandGeorge Washington Memorial ParkwayPennsylvania AvenueCarter G. Woodson Home National Historic SiteKorean War Veterans MemorialThomas Jefferson MemorialThe White House and President's ParkCapitol Hill ParksMary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic SiteConstitution GardensFord's Theatre National Historic SiteFort Dupont ParkMartin Luther King, Jr. MemorialKenilworth Park & Aquatic GardensBelmont-Paul Women's Equality National MonumentDwight D. Eisenhower MemorialLBJ Memorial Grove on the PotomacLincoln MemorialChesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical ParkVietnam Veterans MemorialPotomac Heritage National Scenic TrailWorld War II MemorialNational Mall and Memorial ParksAnacostia ParkNational Capital Parks-East

32 parks mapped in District of Columbia

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Sources: National Park Service, Google Places · updated 2026-08-12