First Street NE runs along the eastern side of the U.S. Capitol complex on Capitol Hill, passing near the site of the former Old Capitol Prison (where the Supreme Court building now stands) and through a dense historic residential and institutional neighborhood. Capitol Hill developed in the late 18th and 19th centuries as a mix of boarding houses, private residences, and government-related buildings. The area has long been associated with political history, including the Lincoln assassination trials and the wartime use of the Old Capitol Prison. Local historian Tim Krepp’s book Capitol Hill Haunts and various neighborhood ghost walks document a modest collection of residential and institutional stories, though few are tied specifically to any single street.
Reported Hauntings and Folklore
One specific local legend concerns First Street NE. Joseph Holt, Judge Advocate General of the U.S. Army from 1862 to 1875, presided over the military commission that tried the Lincoln assassination conspirators, including Mary Surratt and Dr. Samuel Mudd (both of whom were held at the Old Capitol Prison). After retiring, Holt lived as a recluse in a Capitol Hill house. Although the house no longer stands, residents have recounted stories of a figure identified as Holt—described as wearing a blue suit and cape—walking down First Street NE toward the former prison site, as if still weighing the guilt of the conspirators. This account appears in Wikipedia’s compilation of reportedly haunted locations in Washington, D.C., and is occasionally mentioned in Capitol Hill ghost tours. It is presented as oral folklore rather than a verified sighting. Broader Capitol Hill lore includes residual activity at the Marine Barracks / Commandant’s House, various private residences, and legends associated with the Capitol building itself (such as the “demon cat”), but these are not centered on First Street.