A Pivotal Moment in History: Mathew Brady’s Stunning Photo of Washington, D.C. in 1865
Discover a pivotal moment in history with Mathew Brady’s stunning photo of Washington, D.C. in 1865, capturing the end of the Civil War era.
Faces & Places of Yesterday
Vintage photos of Washington, DC. Ordinary people on stoops, sidewalks, and streetcars. Faces and corners of a city most of us would no longer recognize.
Capturing Timeless Beauty: A Look Back at the 1922 Annual Beauty Contest at the Washington Bathing Beach
Step back in time to the 1922 Annual Beauty Contest at the Washington Bathing Beach. Explore the stunning winners and fashion trends of the era.
Lewis Hine’s Photos of Child Workers at the Alexandria Glass Company
In the 1910s, Lewis Hine photographed the young boys working at the Alexandria Glass Company, a striking Library of Congress record of child labor in Virginia.
Capturing History from Above: Washington, D.C. Street Scene in 1939
This blog post examines a photograph of Washington, D.C. taken from a building near the Lotus Club in 1939. The image depicts a street scene showing streetcars crossing at 14th Street and New York Avenue, providing a unique aerial perspective of the city during that era. The post reflects on the historical significance of the photograph, serving as a time capsule of the past and a reminder of the rich history of our nation’s capital.
Wilson Cancelled the 1913 Inaugural Ball. The Avenue Lit Up
Nine or ten thousand electric bulbs over Pennsylvania Avenue, Peace Monument to 17th Street. There would be no ball this inauguration.
Exploring the Frozen Past: Walking on the Tidal Basin in the Early 1900s
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.
Schott’s Alley on Capitol Hill in 1941
What was alley living like near Capitol Hill? This photo shows Schott’s Alley, razed in the 1940s to make way for the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
Bathing suit police and the segregated Tidal Basin beach
In June 1922 a Washington cop knelt on the sand of the Tidal Basin with a tape measure pressed against a woman’s thigh. He was checking how far her swimsuit climbed above the knee.
Rare Image of the White House Stables
Extremely rare old photo of the White House stables from the 1850s. Click on it for incredible details.