The Church of the Ascension and St. Agnes

Historical marker location:

1217 Massachusetts Avenue Northwest, Downtown Washington, District of Columbia

( Marker is on Massachusetts Avenue Northwest west of 12th Street Northwest, on the left when traveling west.)

Marker installed: 1984

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.