This is an incredible old photo of F Street some time in the mid-1910s.
Source: Library of Congress
Check out this great photo of F Street from 1970, this image from 1817, this one showing the old post office in 1860, and finally this one from the Civil War.
Judging by the number of men in uniform — three, and possibly four — this photo likely dates from World War I. I see slush on the pavement, so let’s date it conservatively from December 1917 through March 1918, or (less likely) between December 1918 through March 1919.
it looks like the store posts the front page or some part of the newspapers. You see two different groups to either side of the entrance. The group on the left you can see the paper clearly but the one on the right is a bit harder.
That building in the foreground is the Rhodes Tavern.
Nice work, Mr. Hopewell. The late lamented Rhodes Tavern, with BF Keith’s Theater right up the block.
Such a shame that’s gone.