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.
Take a rare look at Union soldiers guarding the Potomac River in Washington, DC in 1861. Georgetown University is visible in the background. Photo by George Barnard.
Take a look at this fascinating series of photos taken by Carl Mydans in September 1935 in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. These images show a very different side of Georgetown from what we're used to today, with children playing on the street and cars parked on the side of the road.
Take a look at this unbelievable photo of the South Lawn of the White House during the Civil War. Unbelievably, there are people sitting on what appears to be a low stone wall on the south side of the White House. Take a look at this incredible photo from the National Archives.
Take a look at this fascinating photo from 1885! Uncovering the past, this photo from the Library of Congress shows a man and a boy in summer straw hats happily displaying some unidentifiable papers on F Street.
Explore a captivating 1942 photograph of Washington D.C. during a gasoline shortage, revealing the city's resilience and adaptation to wartime challenges through a focus on its streetcar control tower and altered transportation habits.
Take a look back in time with this cool old photo showing President Herbert Hoover with a large group of boys and girls at the White House. Source: Shorpy.
We love old ads here at Ghosts of DC and this is a great one from The Evening Star, printed on June 24th, 1906. Three weeks later, Alfred Dreyfus was exonerated, bringing an end to the Dreyfus Affair.
Step back in time and uncover the history of a mysterious Washington, DC home. With a photo taken in the late 1920s or early 1930s, can you help identify this house?
Take a journey through time and explore an old photo of Scott Circle from the Library of Congress. Learn more about the history of this area of Washington, DC and see what it looked like in the past.
This is an old photo of J.P. Morgan walking in front of the Capitol Building in 1912. He was in town to testify before the Pujo Committee. Source: Library of Congress.
Take a step back in time and explore the retro charm of a 1952 Eastern Airlines ad. Learn about the history behind this iconic advertisement and its significance in the 1950s.
Revisit the history of The Gordon Hotel, a once fashionable haunt of Congressmen and hero of Manila Bay, Admiral George Dewey. The hotel was built in 1885 and razed in 1959, making way for the Third Church of Christ, Scientist in downtown Washington, DC.
