In 1949, Washington opened its first elevated freeway—but the real story is the interracial engineering duo behind it. Discover how Archie Alexander and Maurice Repass built the Whitehurst Freeway and quietly broke barriers in Jim Crow-era America.
Hains point is named for Peter Conover Hains, a prominent Major General in the U.S. Army and served in the Civil War, Spanish-American War and World War I.
This incredible old photograph shows Alexandria, Virginia as seen from the air in 1919. Click on the image to see some amazing details. Source: Library of Congress.
Take a closer look at this incredible image from the end of the Civil War. It shows F Street in the 1860s and the details are quite incredible when you click on the photo. Can you figure out where this is exactly?
Take a look at this incredible 1922 photo of Washington, D.C. taken from the air. Click on the image for a larger version and explore the city's history up close!
Mrs. Ghost, Ghost Baby and I spent a nice Saturday afternoon celebrating a birthday at a lovely home in the Palisades. We found an old 1909 map of the area. Check out the results and the source of the map in our blog post!
Explore the history of Washington, DC and take a look at a cool old photo of 7th and G St. NW from 1911. See what the area looked like back then with this amazing image.
Explore an incredible old map from 1887 of Mt. Pleasant and Columbia Heights. See old street names and the Columbia College Subdivision. Click through to see greater details.
What did the land in and around Washington look like at the end of the 18th century? This map shows the Carroll family land in what would grow into DC.
The Library of Congress has a large collection of graphic arts created over the course of two centuries. They depict famous locations and subjects. There are a large number dedicated to capturing the assassination and aftermath of President Lincoln. Below are an assortment, with descriptions.
The text below this work says, “President Lincoln’s Last Reception, Respectfully Dedicated to the People of the United States.”
Abraham Lincoln’s last reception Source: Library of...
Check out this rare photo of James Buchanan's Inauguration at the East Front of the Capitol Building on March 4th, 1857. It's a little blurry and not the highest resolution, but amazing nevertheless. Click on the top image and find out what you see.
Did you know that Dulles Airport was the first airport in the world build for jet aircraft? This photo shows passengers boarding an Eastern Airlines' Douglas DC-8
Take a look at this cool photo taken on August 26th, 1922, when a gentleman was hanging from the top of the Capitol to paint it. Source: Library of Congress.
