Show washington built tavern next door to congress washington just east of where the capitol now stands there was once an indian village and the first europeans to use the neighborhood probably were companions of capt john smith who sailed up the potomac in 1608 dr charles 0 paullin historian has uncovered the early lore about capitol hill in tracing land grants of the section from the seventeenth century george washington once bought a parcel of land in the area for he was associated with a group of men who built on the hall the earliest tavern for the accommodation of members of congress in later years the neighborhood included the residence of daniel webster abraham lincoln and william jennings bryan |