Highlights include the history of monuments in Washington and a full-day program at the Washington Navy Yard and Historic Christ Church (Capitol Hill).

Hundreds of local historians, history and architecture buffs, students, teachers, and tour guides will gather in Washington on October 28-30, 1999 for three days of presentations and tours celebrating the development of the city of Washington and its culture.

The conference is sponsored by the D.C. Public Library, the Historical Society of Washington, D.C., and the Center for Washington Area Studies at George Washington University.

Historians, researchers, and authors will present slide lectures and panel discussions on topics that cover the diversity which makes this city great. These will include African American history; the impact of religious institutions in the city; how the city came to have over 700 monuments and memorials; Gay history; holiday celebrations unique to the District; maritime history; and the historic Washington Navy Yard and its neighborhood.

Conference events will be held at several venues. Admission to all events is free. For more information on times and locations, call the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. at (202) 785-2068 or the Washingtoniana Division of the D.C. Public Library at (202) 727-1213, or visti the library's website at http://dclibrary.org.