In the early 1900s, Presidents Taft and Wilson tried reversing the 1846 retrocession of Alexandria, VA to restore DC's original borders. But despite political momentum, Virginian resistance doomed efforts to reclaim the valuable land.
Discover the real-life inspiration for St. Elmo’s Bar from the iconic 1985 movie. Georgetown’s The Tombs played a starring role in shaping this classic spot.
The Civil War reached the outer edges of Washington in 1864. It was so close that President Lincoln rode near the front lines of Fort Stevens and came under fire.
This is a great old map of the Washington area from 1961 showing all the real estate developments as featured by The Washington Post. We transcribed all 57 neighborhoods and their brief descriptions below. It’s quaint to read all the listings and the directions provided to get to the subdivisions. Remember reading directions or maps to get somewhere? Even printing Mapquest directions seems antiquated. Thanks to Google Maps and Waze, we’re never lost right? Or are we always lost with no...
Take a look at the Federal Aviation Administration's headquarters on DC's Independence Ave. SW and compare it to what the block looked like in 1941 on the eve of World War II. See how the landscape has changed in this comparison.
Take a look back into history with this unique photo from 1908 of the United States House of Representatives. Learn about the laws passed, senators debating, and the socializing in the evening.
Take a step back in time and explore Washington DC in 1935. This fascinating photograph shows the intersection of 13th and F St. NW. Click on it for greater details!
This is a sad story of a young man, John McCalip, who was drowned in the Potomac River in 1908, shortly before his wedding. Read more about his story and the tragedy that happened on the river.
Take a rare look at Warder Mansion in 1937 – this castle-like building was much greener then with ivy growing on it and far more shrubbery. Check out the photo from Library of Congress.
Take a look back in time to 1917 when the Cuban War Mission visited the United States. See photos and learn more about the mission with this historical revisit.
Take a look at this photograph taken of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington D.C. precisely at 10:55 a.m. Click for a larger, more detailed version.
Take a look at this fun old photo taken on December 14th, 1923. It shows a large group of boys who were Congressional pages on both sides of the aisle, battling it out with snowballs. Wouldn't it be great if Members of Congress took this tactic to solve gridlock today?
A morbid story from The Baltimore Sun, printed on March 10th, 1923. Read about Albert Birney Seip, a war veteran, who tragically leapt to his death from the top of the Washington Monument. Learn about Mrs. Mae Varney Cockrell, who made a similar death leap in 1915.
