Washington D.C.’s historic Whitelaw Hotel hosted jazz legends Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway during the segregation era when it opened in 1919 as a luxurious refuge for black travelers. Built by black visionaries like John W. Lewis and Isaiah T. Hatton, the Whitelaw's storied rise, fall, and rebirth embodies the struggles and achievements of African Americans in the capital.
The Hay-Adams Hotel in Washington D.C. was built in 1928 on the site of two private homes owned by John Hay and Henry Adams. The luxury hotel was designed by architect Mihran Mesrobian in an Italian Renaissance style.
Check out this fascinating old stereographic photo of the Old Executive Office Building in Washington, DC. Learn more about its history from John DeFerrari's blog and Ghosts of DC. Explore now!
What an unbelievable photo from 1923! An amphibian aircraft sits on the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial. See the amazing image and find out more about this unique and fascinating moment in history.
Explore these fascinating maps of Washington DC from 1885, which may not seem interesting to you at first, but are sure to draw your attention once you click on them and see the details.
The history behind the Federal Triangle moniker reveals an intriguing story intertwined with the urban evolution of Washington D.C. in the early 1900s.
Discover a rare photo of Walter Johnson and Gabby Street at the Detroit Public Library. Read the story behind it and listen to a 1939 radio broadcast of Walter Johnson calling a game. Source: Detroit Public Library.
We're way late on this, but better late than never. Here's a terrific photo shared with us by old GoDC friend Phil of President Lyndon B. Johnson throwing the first pitch at the 1967 Senators vs. Yankees game. See the full list of people in the photo.
Where did former President Taft live while he was the Chief Justice? This old row house in Dupont Circle was where he lives during his Supreme Court tenure.
Take a look into the past with this drawing of the U.S. Senate chamber during the Thirtieth Congress. Learn more about the history of the U.S. Senate with this drawing from Duke University.
Take a look at this cool old photo of Center Market, which occupied the northeast corner of 9th Street NW. See the many produce stalls and horse-drawn vehicles in the cobblestone street!
Take a look back in time with this amazing photo from the 1880s-1910s. We can't quite tell the direction of this shot, but we think it's looking east toward Mt. Pleasant. Source: Library of Congress.
Take a look back at the history of the U.S. Postal Service with this amazing photo of a plane from 1918. Learn more about this incredible piece of American history!
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.
