The House Where J. Edgar Hoover Dies

J. Edgar Hoover spent his entire life in Washington. He was born on Capitol Hill and lived there until he was 43. With his mother.

When Mother Hoover dies J. Edgar buys the house above in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Washington. He dies here in his sleep, his body discovered on a May 1972 morning by his housekeeper. When news that Hoover has passed on to his reward gets out, a certain nervousness descends upon some in Washington.

See, Hoover was feared in Washington for the secret files he allegedly kept containing compromising information on everyone from the president on down. It’s why he remained FBI director for 48 years. Every president was afraid to fire him.

Learning of Hoover’s death President Nixon reportedly orders staff members to get Hoover’s secret files. But by the time they arrive at the FBI Hoover’s secretary destroyed whatever files there were, per her late boss’s orders.

Hoover left this house and his entire estate to Clyde Tolson, his deputy and close friend.  Tolson also accepted the flag that draped Hoover’s casket. Tolson moves in and lives here until his death. He is buried a few graves down from Hoover at Congressional Cemetery.

Duration
2 hours
Group Size
2 to 6

Above It All - Washington National Cathedral

Washington National Cathedral is a Gothic masterpiece. Perched on a hill overlooking the city it is the second largest cathedral in the country and the 6th largest in the world. It is a living work of art filled with stained-glass, hand-carved wood, and wrought iron. While a modern structure (finished in 1990) it is constructed in the old-world way and has no structural steel.

Duration
2 hours 30 minutes
Group Size
1 to 6

Hidden on Capitol Hill

Few people think beyond the Capitol when they think of the Hill. This tour takes you to the heart of a neighborhood with a fascinating history that still speaks to us today. Learn about these famous locations from a former Capitol Hill resident.

Duration
2 hours 30 minutes
Group Size
1 to 6

Embassy Row: Divinity & Diplomats

Most Embassy Row tours don’t venture far beyond Dupont Circle. But ours does. We see it all from top to bottom. This stretch of Massachusetts Avenue used to be called Millionaires Row where Gilded Age robber-barons built grand mansions. Today those mansions house most of Washington’s embassies, along with private clubs and statues of world heroes such as Mandela, Gandhi, and Churchill – and we will be right in the heart of it.