WETA Neighborhoods - Exploring Our Community, One New Story at a Time

Exploring Our Community, One New Story at a Time

WETA Neighborhoods

Premieres July 5 at 8pm on WETA TV 26 & WETA HD

Featuring Anacostia, Capitol Hill, Dupont Circle, and Georgetown

[June 8, 2016; Arlington, VA] – From secret histories to off-the-beaten-path landmarks, WETA Neighborhoods reveals the lesser-known aspects of our favorite greater Washington surroundings. The one-hour special highlights four neighborhoods bursting with personality and stories: Georgetown, Dupont Circle, Capitol Hill, and Anacostia. A WETA TV 26 production, WETA Neighborhoods will premiere Tuesday, July 5th at 8pm on WETA TV 26 and WETA HD (check local listings for encore presentations throughout July).

“There are so many undiscovered places with fascinating backstories in the Washington D.C. area that we have yet to uncover,” notes Kevin Harris, WETA Vice President and Television Station Manager. “WETA is pleased to feature these unique neighborhoods and people and continue to explore our region.”

As our nation’s capital grows, its neighborhoods have evolved, some undergoing significant change and transition in just the past decade. WETA Neighborhoods goes beyond the trendy restaurants and shops and digs into the past of some of the District’s significant and diverse neighborhoods, profiling the people and places at the crossroads of these changes.

Think you know your neighborhood? Think again.

Featured in Georgetown:

Martin’s Tavern – A well-known hangout for politicos and students alike, where a young John F. Kennedy proposed to his wife. As political pundit Chris Matthews attests, “It’s got a real Washington D.C. feel to it.”

Mount Zion United Methodist Church and Cemetery – The venerable landmarks upholding the neighborhood’s connection to the African American community.

Rose Park – Long before the Williams sisters, tennis phenoms Margaret and Roumania Peters learned the game on O Street, NW, on their way to decorated careers on the American Tennis Association circuit.

Spy Craft – Discovering a clandestine past on unassuming street corners with former FBI agent David Major and former KGB chief of foreign counterintelligence Oleg Kalugin.

Featured in Dupont Circle:

Dupont Farmer’s Market, Restaurant Nora and Soupergirl – From establishing America’s first certified organic restaurant to creating (and feeding) a demand for fresh, local ingredients and products, these purveyors influence the way Washingtonians cook and eat.

Dupont Underground – An abandoned streetcar station is transformed into an experimental laboratory celebrating the arts.

Featured in Capitol Hill:

Rose’s Luxury – One the country’s hottest restaurants, chef/owner Aaron Silverman remains committed to staying local: “We’re trying to be a neighborhood restaurant, for our neighbors.”

Capitol Hill Restoration Society – Exploring the historic charm of alleys, homes and gardens that date back to the early years of Washington D.C’s development.

Peterbug Shoe Repair Academy – Profiling a community leader teaching entrepreneurship through the art of shoe repair for nearly 40 years.

Congressional Cemetery – The final resting place of noteworthy citizens such as J. Edgar Hoover, revitalized thanks to community efforts such as the annual Day of the Dog festival.

Featured in Anacostia:

Anacostia: The Series – Behind-the-scenes with the Daytime Emmy® award-winning online scripted drama putting this up-and-coming neighborhood on the map.

Anacostia River – One of the nation’s most polluted rivers is experiencing a comeback, thanks to the efforts of conservation groups -- and one dedicated photographer.

Anacostia Community Museum – Inspiring the next generation to participate in the flourishing arts scene with local painter and portrait artist Jay Coleman.

Visit weta.org/neighborhoods for additional information. Press materials and photography can be found at weta.org/press.

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About WETA

WETA Television and Classical WETA 90.9 FM are public broadcasting stations serving the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia with high-quality programming. Classical WETA 90.9 FM brings classical music, concerts and specials to Greater Washington. As the leading PBS station in the nation’s capital, WETA Television broadcasts on four channels: WETA TV 26, WETA HD, WETA UK and WETA Kids. WETA Television celebrates the people and history of this region through programs such as WETA Around Town, WETA Extras and WETA Arts.  For national PBS audiences, WETA Washington, D.C., is one of the largest-producing stations of new content for public television in the United States, with news and public affairs programs including PBS NewsHour and Washington Week with Gwen Ifill; films by Ken Burns such as The Civil War and The Roosevelts: An Intimate History; and performance specials from the White House, the U.S. Capitol, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. WETA creates leading public service websites such as www.ReadingRockets.org, www.LDOnline.org, www.ColorinColorado.org, www.AdLit.org and www.Brainline.org; and develops community outreach programs to engage people of all ages in the joy of lifelong learning. The WETA studios and administrative offices are located in Arlington, Virginia. Sharon Percy Rockefeller is president and CEO.  More information on WETA and its programs and services is available at www.weta.org. On social media, visit www.facebook.com/wetatvfm on Facebook or follow @WETAtvfm on Twitter.

Press Contact

Olivia Wong, WETA Director of Public Relations, 703.998.2086, owong@weta.org