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Watermelon House

Washington, D.C.

This rowhouse doubles as one of the most photographed spots in the nation's capital. 

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The Watermelon House in DC NCinDC / CC BY-ND 2.0
The Watermelon House in DC NCinDC / CC BY-ND 2.0
Watermelon House Elvert Barnes / CC BY-SA 2.0
Watermelon House Elvert Barnes / CC BY-SA 2.0
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Like many great ideas gone awry, D.C.’s Watermelon House was something of a happy accident. The owners decided to liven up their house by painting it a bright red color. The front of the house looked great with the new eye-catching hue, but the side took on a pinkish hue that resembled a certain famously pink stomach medication.

Instead of repainting, the owners of the home used the pink sidewall as the basis for a watermelon mural that became an instant favorite with locals, and quickly spread on social media as one of the most popular photographs in town.

The house inspired a trend on social media called #watermelonjumps which involved people (individually or in groups) posting photos of themselves jumping in front of the colorful backdrop of Watermelon House.

There is even a website dedicated to this practice, featuring user-submitted photos of visitors doing their best jumps in front of the mural. Located in the Logan Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C., this upbeat mural is definitely worth a visit.

Know Before You Go

Watermelon House is a private residence so please be respectful, but photographs including "watermelon jumps" are highly encouraged!

watermelon murals houses architectural oddities
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