In the 1950s, the top entertainers in the country performed on 14th Street NW. By the early 1980s, it was known as Washington's "combat zone," lined with topless bars and adult bookstores. By 1986, it was rubble. What happened in between reveals how gentrification works when moral crusades and economic interests perfectly align.
Take a look back to 1907 with this advertisement for Silver Spring Park, printed in The Washington Times. See the history of the park and its attractions and offerings in this vintage ad.
We thought it would be interesting to dig up a previous argument from the archives of The Washington Post. Read a letter to the editor, originally printed in April 1905, and learn more about its author.
The first overland long-distance telegraph line in the United States was between Baltimore and Washington in 1843. This map shows all telegraph lines in Washington in 1880.
WMATA spent $69,000 for the sample station in May 1968. After just a few weeks of construction, it measured 64 feet in width, 30 feet in height, and just 17 feet in length. It marked a key milestone in the capital subway project - a massive planning and engineering effort that started in the 1950s.
This analysis of a 1900 Washington Post article on the advent of automobiles shows a disregard for the new technology, with horse dealers even calling it a fad. A photo of 14th and Pennsylvania in 1918 shows both horses and automobiles.
Take a look back at Washington, D.C. in 1942 during the dark early days of World War II. This photo, taken on a Sunday in July, shows people relaxing along the Tidal Basin near the Jefferson Memorial. See what else is in the background!
Take a look at the incredible transformation of H Street in Washington, DC from 1925 to today. See a vintage photo from 1925 and compare it to how the same block looks today on Google Street View.
In April 1923, Washington, D.C. experienced a major flood. This blog post takes a look at the aftermath with a photo of the flood and a streetcar that's seen better days. Learn more about this historic event here.
Explore these amazing engravings of the President's House and the Capitol Building following the Burning of Washington on August 24, 1814. The engravings were done by William Strickland and depict the destruction caused by the British attack and subsequent tornado.
Celebrate the 89th anniversary of the Washington Senators opening game at Griffith Stadium against the New York Yankees. Read more about the game, Walter Johnson, Lou Gehrig, and Babe Ruth's 1925 season!
Take a look at the White House conservatory in 1857, and get a glimpse into what life was like during the presidencies of James Buchanan and Franklin Pierce. The conservatory was eventually demolished to be replaced by the West Wing.
Take a look back in time to 1900 and explore the Whittemore House and the Women's National Democratic Club with these beautiful historical photos. Check out the websites to learn more about the amazing history of these locations!
