A huge gambling bust happened on January 31st, 1925. The location was a crowded restaurant on E St. where people would gather for illegal dice games and gambling. The Washington Post reported on it the following day. A Greek restaurant at 1217 E street northwest, said by the police to be a rendezvous for dice gamblers and turf fans, yielded ... Read More »
It’s map Friday! Hopefully you liked the last map we posted, because maps seem to be super popular among GoDCers. Check this one out and click on it for greater detail. Related articles 1907 Map of LeDroit Park and Bloomingdale (ghostsofdc.org) 1851 Map of the City of Washington, D.C. (ghostsofdc.org) Old Columbia Heights: Where the Streets Have New Names (ghostsofdc.org) Read More »
Interesting … it appears that property in Shaw and Mt. Vernon square is worth three to four times more that in Dupont Circle. This is a fascinating map and we know GoDCers love maps. Click the map for greater detail. This is another amazing piece from the Library of Congress. Related articles 1907 Map of LeDroit Park and Bloomingdale (ghostsofdc.org) 1851 ... Read More »
Really? This looks like the lamest workout ever. What the hell is Coolidge doing? I’m going to get some Five Guys now. Yum. Related articles Email From a GoDCer: Alexander Graham Bell’s Georgetown Home (ghostsofdc.org) Three Random Facts About the Corcoran Gallery (ghostsofdc.org) Vice President Calvin Coolidge Evacuates the Willard Due to Fire … and an Awkward Encounter (ghostsofdc.org) Read More »
This is pretty interesting. Check out this footage of President Wilson at the White House. Related articles Origins of the Political Ad: Woodrow Wilson’s 1912 Campaign Film (pbs.org) Video: Wilson, Harding and a Nation Pay Respect to the Unknown Soldier (1921) (ghostsofdc.org) Woodrow Wilson’s 1912 Presidential Campaign Video (uneditedpolitics.com) Read More »
Exactly one year ago today, one of the most spectacular buildings in Washington was badly damaged by the earthquake that shook our city. So much so, that the repairs are going to cost millions of dollars and keep it under scaffolding for several years. If you love this building like we do, consider donating a few bucks to help restore ... Read More »
It’s probably safe to say that this team no longer exists as an intercollegiate or even intramural team at GWU. Well, in 1927, the GW girls rifle team was good … really good. They won the national rifle championship in February of that year. Below is the article from the Washington Post on Feburary 10th (eight days after the above ... Read More »
Do you like your beer, wine or liquor? The Sheppard Bone-Dry Act of 1917 would have put a major damper on your libations when it was signed by President Wilson. November 1st, 1917 would be the day all Washingtonians would rue, when their legal right to consume alcohol was taken from them with the advent of Prohibition in the District, ... Read More »
We now know that GoDCers love maps. They seriously love maps, because our most popular post ever was the 1851 map of Washington. So, let’s satisfy that hunger for more maps with this one from 1907. The map below is the Baist real estate map covering the areas of Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park. Click on it so you can get ... Read More »
About 5,500 weekends ago, Washingtonians woke up and lazily flipped through their newspapers. It was Sunday, November, 11, 1906 and something bold and new was described for the first time in The Post: New Portmanteau Words. Have you received any invitations to “brunch”? [...] “Brunch” is the latest Park Lane for a midday refection that includes breakfast and lunch. And ... Read More »
Here’s a great shot from Shorpy of kids in the waters at Potomac bathing beach (I wouldn’t do this today). This is the official kickoff of summer in 1923, Memorial Day weekend. Click on the image for a closer look. Related articles From a GoDCer: A Family Connection to a Tragic Suicide (ghostsofdc.org) Potomac Bathing Beach Beauties (ghostsofdc.org) Old Photo Friday: ... Read More »
This is one of our best GoDCer contributions yet. Tom from Bethesda sent this over to share with everyone else. This was taken on Pennsylvania Ave. NW between 10th and 11th St. Watch the whole thing and marvel at how chaotic the street scene and traffic seem to be. Safety was certainly different back then. Here is a description of ... Read More »
This article that we came across in the Washington Post is probably something we would never see today. I’m pretty sure Bo Obama is pretty locked down and confined to the White House grounds. This was not the case for the Roosevelt dog in 1909. This article from February 6th of that year tells the story. There was consternation at ... Read More »
Below is a photo from 1927 of Ruth Jardine, the daughter of Secretary of Agriculture William M. Jardine. William was also Ambassador to Egypt during President Hoover‘s Administration. Related articles Decapitated by the Hangman’s Rope (ghostsofdc.org) From a GoDCer: A Family Connection to a Tragic Suicide (ghostsofdc.org) First to Answer This Question Gets a GhostsofDC.org T-Shirt (ghostsofdc.org) Read More »
I checked my email the other day to find this email from a GoDCer. Emails like this are exactly why I started this blog. Not only is it fascinating, but it’s really important to remember the regular people who lived in our city generations ago. The story below, emailed by Chris, was so compelling that I had to share it ... Read More »
Ghosts of DC The lost and untold history of Washington