Raleigh Hotel: 71 Years on Pennsylvania Avenue
The gold-and-white top-floor ballroom where Buddy Holly danced for Washington teens on live TV. Then a wrecking crew in 1964.
Lost History
Washington, DC neighborhoods and buildings that aren’t there anymore. Murder Bay, the old Center Market, brownstones erased for federal office blocks.
The 1877 Drawing of Proposed Capitol Modifications
In 1877 a 23-year-old draftsman named Richard Siebert filed a sweeping redesign of the U.S. Capitol with the Copyright Office. Then he vanished.
Proposed Southside Freeway in Arlington: What Could Have Been
This post explores the proposed Southside Freeway in Arlington which never came to be. Learn about the 1960 proposal, the public opinion, and why the highway never came to fruition in this post.
Uncovering the Sad Truth: Slave Pens Were Everywhere in Washington in the 1860s
Uncovering the sad truth of the past, Slave Pens existed in and around all of Washington in the 1860s. This photo shows one of those in Alexandria during the 1860s. Learn more at the Library of Congress.
Remembering the Republic Theatre at 13th and U St.
Take a look back at the Republic Theatre on the north side of the 1300 block of U St. Opened in 1921, it was unfortunately demolished in 1976 to make way for the new Metro. See a photo of the theater from 1945-46!
Exploring D.C.’s German Beer Hall History at Dietz’s Rathskeller
Before World War I, Dietz’s Rathskeller was a popular beer joint in the heart of D.C. Learn about its history, explore the area today, and be amazed at what this spot has to offer!
Uncovering the Lease Requirements for a New Baseball Stadium in D.C.
Learn about the lease requirements for a new baseball stadium in D.C., as revealed in a document from the 1950s. Follow the history of the Washington Senators and the legacy of Clark Griffith in this fascinating story.
A Closer Look at the Old State Department Building During the Civil War
Get a better look at the Old State Department Building during the Civil War with this amazing photo. Click on it for some amazing details and find out why there are a large number of wooden boxes at the main entrance to the building.
This is the Oldest Known Photo of the U.S. Department of State
See the oldest known photo of the U.S. Department of State, taken in 1857. Learn more about the old State Department building before it was located in Foggy Bottom and even before it was located in the State, War, and Navy Building next to the White House.