Most people think the Pentagon's famous five-sided shape represents military symbolism or strategic design. The real story is far more surprising: the world's most recognizable military building got its iconic shape because it had to fit around the property lines of an experimental farm in Arlington, Virginia. When architects had just one weekend in July 1941 to design the world's largest office building, they shaped it to match the boundaries created by old farm roads.
Discover the frozen Tidal Basin of the past with this fascinating historical photo. See the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in the distance, and learn about the history of ice skating and walking on the Tidal Basin. Read on to learn more.
Washington's new airport opened for business in June 1941. This series of detailed photos shows what flying was like 80 years ago, more glamorous, quaint, and dressed up.
This guest post by Phil Dickieson explores the history of kit homes, which were popular in the early 20th century. Learn how a $2,425 house can now be worth over $2 million!
These haunting 1967 photos show the inside and outside of the old Capitol Traction Company Powerhouse, previously located on the Georgetown waterfront.
Celebrating Georgetown University's Class of 2019 and their predecessors from the historic Class of 1925. Take a little inspiration from this lovely photo showing their predecessors graduating in the late spring of 1925.
Take a look at Petworth's development in the early 20th century with these ads from The Evening Star in 1926. See how the homes look today in Google Street View!
Discover the shocking reality of opium dens in Washington DC in 1894, as uncovered by The Washington Post. Learn more about the notorious 'Gypsy Joe' and 'Matinee Charley' who frequented the dens.
Take a look back in time at parking fees in Washington D.C. during World War II. See the original photo from 1942 and find out just how much different it was back then.
Read the story of Queen, the wild dog of Potomac Park who was slain in 1913. Learn about Queen's reign of terror over pedestrians and motor car drivers, and the efforts to shoot her that ultimately failed.
We need some help figuring out the dates of these photos from the Library of Congress. They were labeled 1905 to 1945, but could they be from the 1930s? Let's explore the clues and see what we can discover!
Back in 1931, Constitution Avenue was called B Street. Read this blog post to find out why it was renamed Constitution Avenue and when it happened. View the vintage images to get a feel of what it was like back then!
