Ghosts of DC The lost and untold history of Washington

I love baseball — my first post ever was baseball-related — and baseball is back! Opening Day has passed (go Nats!) and the home opener is just around the corner. There is not better way to spend an afternoon than sitting in the stands watching our hometown team. And late spring is the best time to do it. I wanted ... Read More »

This is an excellent silent film from 1929. It begins with outgoing president Calvin Coolidge and Hoover entering a vehicle and being taken to the Capitol Building down Pennsylvania Avenue. The members of the Supreme Court are seen — including former president and then Chief Justice William Howard Taft — on the inauguration platform. Both Coolidge and Hoover are present ... Read More »

I suspect you’re checking out the blog this morning thinking, hmm … something looks different. Well, I spent the bulk of my posting time this past weekend cleaning up the new design of the site. The posts might be a little thinner this week as a result, but I think the new look is better. I hope you agree. Also, ... Read More »

I love the Library of Congress. Who doesn’t? It has to be one of the most, if not the most ornate building in the city. If you haven’t been inside, you need to, because it’s beautiful and extremely impressive … almost like you’re in Europe. [gigya src="http://embed.5min.com/517229561/" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="opaque" width="560" height="345"] I also wanted to share with you ... Read More »

Here’s another interesting video, giving you some history you probably don’t know. I’m also guessing a number of you work in or near this building. [gigya src="http://embed.5min.com/517229556/" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="opaque" width="560" height="345"] Also, I very much remember the building being closed for three months following the anthrax mailing to Senator Daschle’s office. Related articles If Walls Could Talk: The ... Read More »

It’s Sunday and you’re probably catching up on last week’s GoDC posts. Here’s a really quick one for you, and you’ll enjoy this if you’re a soccer fan. If you’re a casual fan, you may not remember that in 1994 the U.S. hosted the World Cup, and some of the games were held ar our own RFK Stadium. Below is ... Read More »

Here is another great five-minute history of a D.C. landmark. Union Station was, for the first half of the 20th century, the gateway to Washington. It was how most people arrived in the city and it was a magnificent sight for visitors. [gigya src="http://embed.5min.com/517229521/" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="opaque" width="560" height="345"] The majestic building displaced the Irish community in Swampoodle, knocking ... Read More »

Dailymotion has a bunch of great five minute history videos of D.C. Here’s one that I think you’ll like about the Kennedy Center. [gigya src="http://embed.5min.com/517229558/" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="opaque" width="560" height="345"] Sorry for the late post this morning. I might be slacking a little bit this week because I’m traveling and I didn’t get the chance to finish any posts ... Read More »

I came across this one on YouTube. This was the first time the President of the United States was videotaped and then broadcast in color. This is the earliest surviving color videotape. It was filmed on May 22nd, 1958 in the WRC-TV studios in Washington (the local NBC affiliate). The video starts off in black and white while Eisenhower’s motorcade ... Read More »

The weather is awesome today, so you should spend it outside, not reading this blog. You can come back and finish reading later in the afternoon. While you finish up your coffee and breakfast, check out this video of Chuck Brown in 1987. This is old school and it’s awesome (FYI, the volume is pretty loud). I’m heading out to ... Read More »

Old school Bullets fans will remember this post-Bel Biv Devoe jam from the ’94-’95 season … You Da Man! The Bullets were 21-61 that year. Ugh. Related articles VIDEO: Former Bullets Forward Tom Gugliotta Ejected From Stands Of N.C. State Game (dc.sbnation.com) Read More »

December 10th, 1913 — Over 4,000 Temperance movement and Prohibition supporters marched in Washington, demanding a new constitutional amendment banning alcohol consumption in the United States. A demonstration of this size had never been seen before. They marched to the Capitol, where Congressman Richard Hobson from Alabama and Senator Morris Sheppard of Texas greeted them. The two introduced legislation to their respective ... Read More »

This is awesome and appears to be the latest minor D.C. Internet meme. Well, I love baseball and I love D.C., so I want to share this with those of you who haven’t seen it yet (if you haven’t seen this, you don’t surf the Interwebs enough). Ron Paul is the only player in the history of the Congressional baseball ... Read More »

Here’s an interesting video I came across on YouTube. I’m not quite sure what year this is from, but I’m guessing it’s somewhere in the mid-1950s. It’s fascinating to watch the former Senator and President messing up on camera. Related articles Decapitated by the Hangman’s Rope (ghostsofdc.org) Calvin Coolidge, Vermont Native and Our 30th President (ghostsofdc.org) If Walls Could Talk: ... Read More »

I took a fair bit of time to do a little research into how U street got its name. After some research, it was abundantly clear that this wouldn’t be a short post. This is an area of D.C. that has a rich history, went through some rough times, but has risen to become the core of the city’s renaissance. The ... Read More »