Stories about famous people and places in Washington, D.C.
Before L’Enfant Plaza’s Brutalist towers, Southwest DC was a thriving neighborhood. We dug into the Evening Star archives to trace the full story, from the 1954 demolition to the Fedlandia proposals reshaping the area today.
Discover how the White House East Wing transformed from Theodore Roosevelt’s democratic cloakroom in 1902 to Trump’s $250 million ballroom. Explore 123 years of presidential renovations, including Wilson’s garden tent, FDR’s secret bunker, and the site’s fascinating evolution through detailed historical documents and photographs.
Most people think the Pentagon’s famous five-sided shape represents military symbolism or strategic design. The real story is far more surprising: the world’s most recognizable military building got its iconic shape because it had to fit around the property lines of an experimental farm in Arlington, Virginia. When architects had just one weekend in July 1941 to design the world’s largest office building, they shaped it to match the boundaries created by old farm roads.
Explore the legacy of Massimo Vignelli, the visionary designer behind the Washington Metro’s iconic look. Discover how his philosophy of simplicity and functionality shaped the visual identity of D.C.’s public transit system.
In March ’36, comedy “royalty” Jack Benny & wife Mary Livingstone arrived in DC, bringing laughs galore to delight politicos & fans. Dubbed “royal couple” by press, the duo charmed the capital for a week with wisecracks ‘a plenty before departing in style, leaving smiles for miles.
The dramatic 1938 Cherry Tree Rebellion saw D.C. women chaining themselves to cherry trees to stop removal for the Jefferson Memorial. Learn the story behind the controversial protest over commemorating Jefferson’s legacy.
Ballston Metro Station: The linchpin in Ballston’s journey from a fading strip to a bustling urban center. Dive into its transformative tale.
In the early 1900s, Presidents Taft and Wilson tried reversing the 1846 retrocession of Alexandria, VA to restore DC’s original borders. But despite political momentum, Virginian resistance doomed efforts to reclaim the valuable land.
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.
Discover the origins of the Air and Space Museum in this historical journey – when was it built and how it became an iconic institution.
