John Smilie

Historical marker location:

1801 E Street Southeast, Barney Circle, District of Columbia

( Marker can be reached from E Street Southeast, 0.1 miles east of Potomac Avenue Southeast, on the right when traveling east.)

Congressional Cemetery

The city was built on a swamp: The area that is now Washington, D.C. was originally a swampy, marshy region along the Potomac River. The construction of the city involved extensive drainage and landfill projects to make the land suitable for building.