Skip to main content
RETURN TO Return to WETA website Donate
Boundary Stones logo

Main navigation

  • Washington, D.C.
  • Maryland
  • Virginia
  • Video
  • About

Emma O'Neill-Dietel

Emma O’Neill-Dietel was raised on local history in Philadelphia, and grew up visiting museums and historical sites up and down the East Coast. She first moved to DC in 2019 for an internship at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, and the city captured her heart immediately. Emma is a writer, musician, and artist constantly in search of creative methods to tell history’s stories. She has a particular interest in disability history, queer history, and the history of fashion and music. She is a recent graduate of Smith College, where she studied world literatures, Spanish, and archives studies. When not writing for Boundary Stones, Emma teaches creative writing at Writopia Lab.

Posts by this Author

DC
Iconic Washington, D.C.

Iconic Washington, D.C.

05/12/2023 in DC by Emma O'Neill-Dietel

The new PBS documentary series Iconic America: Our Symbols and Stories explores US history and identity through iconic national symbols. Washington, D.C. is home to some of America’s most iconic landmarks and historic sites, like the Washington Monument, the White House, and the Smithsonian Castle. But locals know that beyond the national landmarks, there are hundreds of lesser-known symbols and landmarks that make the city unique and hold the memories of its residents. Over the years, Boundary Stones has highlighted many of them.

  • Share by Facebook
  • Share by Twitter
  • Share by Email

Read More

DC
Luke, I Am Your... Gargoyle? : How Darth Vader Came to the National Cathedral

Luke, I Am Your... Gargoyle? : How Darth Vader Came to the National Cathedral

05/03/2023 in DC by Emma O'Neill-Dietel

A long time ago in a galaxy not so far, far away, the National Cathedral gained an unusual sculpture: a carving of Darth Vader to adorn its northwest tower. As it turned out, Darth Vader, the result of a design competition for children, is a very fitting figure for the Cathedral's decoration.

  • Share by Facebook
  • Share by Twitter
  • Share by Email

Read More

DC
Metro Mythbusting: Georgetown's Nonexistent Metro Stop

Metro Mythbusting: Georgetown's Nonexistent Metro Stop

01/20/2023 in DC by Emma O'Neill-Dietel

If you think you know why Georgetown doesn't have a Metro stop, think again! Though many believe it is the outcome of neighborhood resistance, in reality it has much more to do with geography, geology, expense, and WMATA's original vision for Metro as a commuter rail. The origins of the Georgetown Metro myth are just as interesting as the debunking of the myth.

  • Share by Facebook
  • Share by Twitter
  • Share by Email

Read More

DC
Time Travel in the "Virgin Vault": Washington’s Women’s Boarding House

Time Travel in the "Virgin Vault": Washington’s Women’s Boarding House

11/25/2022 in DC by Emma O'Neill-Dietel

In an imposing brick building at 235 2nd Street, NE on Capitol Hill, time stands still. It is home to over 70 young people living, working, and learning in Washington. This is Thompson-Markward Hall, a boarding house that has been a home for young women in Washington since 1833. But its residents haven’t always been elite graduate students or ladder-climbing interns. Women’s work in Washington has changed dramatically since the 1800s, but Thompson-Markward Hall has remained a necessity.

  • Share by Facebook
  • Share by Twitter
  • Share by Email

Read More

DC
Hugo Deffner and the Long Road to Accessibility in Washington

Hugo Deffner and the Long Road to Accessibility in Washington

11/18/2022 in DC by Emma O'Neill-Dietel

Activist Hugo Deffner came to Washington in 1957 to accept an award for his work in promoting accessible architecture. However, he discovered a city entirely inaccessible to wheelchair users and other disabled people. Over the following decades, a combination of tireless activism and legislation transformed Washington into one of the most accessible cities in America.

  • Share by Facebook
  • Share by Twitter
  • Share by Email

Read More

DC
"Say your say, do your thing, stand up and be counted": The First National Black Deaf Advocates Conference

"Say your say, do your thing, stand up and be counted": The First National Black Deaf Advocates Conference

11/04/2022 in DC by Emma O'Neill-Dietel

In June 1981, Black Deaf leaders gathered in Washington to sew the seeds of an organization that would have a profound impact on the Black Deaf community. After centuries of exclusion in both Black and Deaf spaces, organizers came together to make a space of their own. With goals to educate, empower, and strengthen the community, this conference led a call for Black inclusion and leadership in Deaf organizations locally and nationally.

  • Share by Facebook
  • Share by Twitter
  • Share by Email

Read More

DC
Ford's Theatre's Forgotten Tragedy

Ford's Theatre's Forgotten Tragedy

10/07/2022 in DC by Emma O'Neill-Dietel

Ford’s Theatre is remembered today as the site of a national tragedy that changed the course of American history, the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. However, just 28 years later, a second tragedy occurred there that claimed 22 lives and injured many more.

  • Share by Facebook
  • Share by Twitter
  • Share by Email

Read More

Surprise Me!

Not sure where to start reading? Let us pick a story for you!

Categories

  • DC (576)
  • Maryland (108)
  • Virginia (150)

Latest Posts

The Bizarre Adolescence of the Washington Monument

06/08/2023

The Bizarre Adolescence of the Washington Monument

This House, Undivided: Sarah Tracy’s Mount Vernon During the Civil War

06/02/2023

This House, Undivided: Sarah Tracy’s Mount Vernon During the Civil War

The Sordid Story of Dupont Circle's Underground Tunnels

05/26/2023

The Sordid Story of Dupont Circle's Underground Tunnels

Most Popular

The Bizarre Adolescence of the Washington Monument

06/08/2023

The Bizarre Adolescence of the Washington Monument

This House, Undivided: Sarah Tracy’s Mount Vernon During the Civil War

06/02/2023

This House, Undivided: Sarah Tracy’s Mount Vernon During the Civil War

The Less-Known Unknown

11/13/2012

The Less-Known Unknown

Tags

1860s1870s1890s1900s1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990sAlexandriaArlingtonArtBlack HistoryBygone DCCivil WarGeorgetownSports HistoryWhite HouseWomen's HistoryWorld War IWorld War II
More
Historical D.C. Metro Map
Tweets by BoundaryStones
WETA

Footer menu

  • Support WETA
  • About WETA
  • Press Room
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletter
  • RSS
  • Accessibility

Contact Us

  • 3939 Campbell Avenue
    Arlington, VA 22206 | Map
  • 703-998-2600
  • boundarystones@weta.org

Connect with us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

About Boundary Stones

Boundary Stones explores local history in Washington, D.C., suburban Maryland and northern Virginia. This project is a service of WETA and is supported by contributions from readers like you.

DONATE

Copyright © 2023 WETA. All Rights Reserved.

Bottom Footer

  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • Guidelines