Washington Senators Secure Moran of Georgetown
The front page of the Washington Times reported a big local signing in December of 1902 for the Washington Senators. They had inked the Georgetown shortstop, Charley Moran, to a contract
Washington Times Headline (1902)
Read more about Charley Moran and the signing after the jump.
A Plane Crash in Anacostia
Came across is crazy photo on Shorpy. This happened on November 9th, 1938 when two aviators, Lieutenant Colonel Leslie MacDill and Private Joseph G. Gloxner were burned to death in the worst aerial tragedy in the history of Washington (until 9/11) after their airplane crashed on a street in Anacostia.
They had just taken off from Bolling Field and their plane went down, destroying three cars in the crash.
Oh, by the way, MacDill Air Force Base near Tampa is named after the pilot. He was kind of a big deal.
The Old Hay-Adams House
The corner of 16th and H St. NW wasn’t always dominated by the Hay-Adams hotel. Prior to the hotel being built in 1928, two large and beautiful Victorian homes sat on this corner, occupied by the Hay family and the Adams family (no, not that one). John Hay was the former personal secretary to President Lincoln and Henry Adams was an accomplished author. The photo below from the Library of Congress shows both homes on the northwest corner of the intersection. It’s a shame these homes had to be razed, but the hotel built by prominent Washington developer Harry Wardman isn’t a site for sore eyes. Some prominent guests have stayed there since the early days including Amelia Earhardt, Ethel Barrymore, Charles Lindbergh, Sinclair Lewis and the current president, Barack Obama and family, prior to his inauguration in 2009.
There’s also a great, quiet bar in the basement called Off the Record. That place has some serious history to it. You should check it out.
Hay-Adams residence circa 1890
I’m not sure if those are railroad tracks or trolley tracks running along H St.
Related articles
- Dinner at The Hay-Adams for Valentine’s Day (luxuryhotelist.com)
- Obamas in DC at the Hay Adams Hotel (apartmenttherapy.com)
- Foodie Friday – We Have a Fabulous Guest Blogger! (foodfashionfeathersfancies.wordpress.com)
Great Civil War Photographs of Washington
Here is a great gallery of some Civil War photographs I uncovered at the Library of Congress. It appears that the Treasury Department is in the background of the Sanitary Commission photograph at 15th and F St. NW.
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- Guards at ferry landing on Mason’s Island (now Roosevelt Island) examining a pass
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- Georgetown waterfront with sailing vessels, seen from Mason’s Island
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- Sanitary Commission storehouse and adjoining houses at 15th and F Sts., NW
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- Maimed soldiers and others before office of U.S. Christian Commission
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- Group in front of Christian Commission storehouse
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- Building of the U.S. Clothing Department
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- Captain Charles. H. Tompkin’s (A.Q.M.) office. Group in doorway
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- Sanitary Commission lodge, Washington, D.C.
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- Col. Benjamin F. Fisher and staff on steps of Signal Corps headquarters, 1816 F St., NW
Related articles
- Native Americans at the White House During the Civil War (ghostsofdc.org)
- Civil War’s 150th stirs a trove of memories (sfgate.com)
- You: Civil War museums in South work to be more inclusive and reflect modern views … – Washington Post (washingtonpost.com)
- World gets better view of Civil War submarine (cbsnews.com)
Cooling Off in Rock Creek
Here’s a photo of some kids having fun cooling off in Rock Creek. The photo is from July 28th, 1921 via Shorpy. These kids look like they’re having an awesome time and I’m guessing is is one of those D.C. summer scorchers where the thermometer is hovering around 102 degrees. Look at the kid in the middle. He looks totally overwhelmed by the water. Ah … to be a kid.
Cooling off in Rock Creek (1921)
Then and Now: Riggs National Bank – 15th and Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Here is a nice “Then and Now” shot of the old Riggs National Bank across from the Department of Treasury. I found this in in the Smithsonian’s Flickr feed. The first one is from 1919 and the one below is today’s shot from Google Street View.
Riggs Nationals Bank (1919)
Old Riggs National Bank Building on Pennsylvania Ave. NW
If you like these photos, why don’t you follow @GhostsofDC on Twitter to get updates?
Related articles
- Wreck at Columbia Rd. and Sherman Ave. NW (ghostsofdc.org)
- President Garfield’s Assassin: Charles Guiteau’s Time in Washington (ghostsofdc.org)
Slippery When Wet … a Bus Flips in Petworth
This is not good. Apparently the Washington Transit Company bus driver was going too fast to take a turn in the rain and this was the result.
Does anyone else find it odd (and amusing) that folks are gathered around, kind of milling about. Everyone hold steady for the camera and say “cheeeeeese!” The Washington Transit Company had just started the first D.C. bus system in the spring of 1921, so maybe the drivers weren’t used to handling the large vehicles on the city streets.
Thanks to Shorpy for another gem … best historic photo site out there.
Overturned bus in Petworth (1921)
After the jump, check out the bus route throughout the city from 1933 (thanks again Shorpy). Read the rest of this entry
District National Bank Branch Office (1924)
WOW. This one is awesome. It’s a colorized photograph from 1924 and it shows cars lined up outside the District National Bank, Dupont Circle branch.
I’ll need a little help locating exactly where this is. It’s highly likely that this building no longer exists. I can’t quite place it.
District National Bank, Dupont Circle (1924)
Read more after the jump.
If Walls Could Talk: The Seaton at 150 Rhode Island Ave. NW
I received an email from a reader saying she learned of Ghosts of DC through this post on Big Bear Cafe. She kindly asked if I would look into the history of her Bloomingdale condo building in, as she knew very little about it (other than old stories from local cabbies).
I’m starting to see an increase in email requests like this, and I wish I could get to all of them, but for this one, I’m happy to oblige. I’ll see what I can dig up for her (and her neighbors) to bring to life the history of 150 Rhode Island Ave. NW, The Seaton. Plus, she asked very nicely and said please. So here’s our next “Reader’s Choice” and “If Walls Could Talk.”
150 Rhode Island Ave. NW
Find out more about this building after the jump.
If Walls Could Talk: Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe
I’m really excited about doing this one and I’m sure there are quite a few of you out there that are really going to enjoy learning about our favorite spot, Kramerbooks.
Since 1976, this place has been a favorite place to find a book, grab a bite, some beer, or have some coffee and chat over dessert. Some of you may even remember when it hit the national spotlight in the late 90s when they refused to disclose Monica Lewinksy’s book purchases after being subpoenaed by Ken Starr.
Dupont would not be what it is today without this establishment and it’s clear that our President and his daughters agree. So, let’s get started with the next “If Walls Could Talk,” Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe at 1517 Connecticut Ave. NW.
Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe
By the way, let me prepare you for some serious turnover at this address. After the jump, you’ll see what I’m talking about.
